After Vampire Academy: Last Sacrifice Part 2
by Shadow-Kissed Mori
Summary: This is the continuation of After "Vampire Academy: Last Sacrifice". Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

I woke up in the palace room Lissa was gracious enough to give me. The red and gold throughout the room dimmed in the dark but the lit candles gave it that eerie feel. It smelled like jasmine but Dimitri's soap lingered and nearly masked the sweet smell. I snuggled my face into his chest and breathed him in. What a perfect morning. I hoped everyday could be like this but I knew it was going to be short lived once we left back to campus.

"Hey". His hand stroked the curve of my shoulder and I tilted my head up to look at his face. His eyes caught the light and their color scattered where it caught. His smile was soft and sweet like his voice.

"Hey". I traced my fingers against his stomach and made my way to his chest. I splayed my fingers out and drank in the feel of him.

"How long have you been up?" He stifled a yawn and I felt him stretch just slightly.

I wrapped my arm over him and pulled him close. "Not long. Just a few seconds before you."

He hugged my body to him and kissed my forehead. "What time are we planning on getting up?"

"Never". I felt him laugh and I could picture his natural smile.

"That sounds good to me but you do know they will come looking for us eventually." He tilted my head up and swept some hair off my face. "Come on. Lissa needs you." He brought his lips to mine.

"How do you know Lissa _needs_ me? You guys have some sort of bond?" I sat up and leaned over him.

His fingers found my wrist and he spread my arms out until the tips of our noses were touching. "No, but can you think of a time that she hasn't?"

Of course I could think of quite a few but I didn't care to mention times that Lissa _didn't_ need me. It reminded me how useless I felt now that our bond was gone. I still felt like I should be helping her fight the darkness that came with the use of spirit. Like it was my duty to protect her from anything and everything. Dimitri must have sensed what I was thinking about because he frowned.

"Don't worry about me." I pulled back and sat up bringing my knees to my chest. "It's nothing."

His hand landed gently on my shoulder and I felt a huge burden fall from my chest. "You don't need to hold up that wall and close me off. You forget I know you too well." I could feel his breaths behind my ear.

I couldn't help but feel so useless though. I was so sure that if Lissa fell to the darkness that I would go tumbling after her. That I wouldn't be strong enough to watch my best friend fall into insanity and be powerless to save her. I hugged my knees and fought back tears that were trying to break through. "I'm fine." I said it trying to reassure myself more than I was trying to reassure Dimitri.

"Are you really?" He turned me to face him and cupped my face. "You say you trust me and yet here you are trying to hide something from me… again."

I looked him in the eye and saw hurt, disappointment, and his world was caving in all because I couldn't tell him. I just didn't want him to worry about me. "There's nothing to hide." I held his wrists and pulled him to me. Our lips met and I felt a tear escape and run down my cheek. I wiped it before he could pull away.

I felt him study my face and a smile finally revealed itself. His arms encircled me and he squeezed. "Ah, Roza. All I know is that you better tell me before it gets too bad."

He knew. He always knew. But he was trusting me enough to let him know when it was just too much for me to handle. For now I would be allowed to carry the burden on my own. "I will."

We walked out into the hallway and knocked on Lissa and Christian's door. I looked down each side of the hallway for any signs of life. None. There was absolutely nothing. It was nearly bare. Only the fake candles that lined the walls made for some decoration and the red and gold carpet that snaked its way from end to end. I looked back at the unanswered door and knocked again.

"Yea, yea! We hear you. Hold your damn horses…" Christian still sounded sleepy. I could hear him shuffling his feet to get to the door. It was obviously a great effort on his part since I could still hear him mumbling something about people waking up too early and disturbing others.

The door opened and Christian stood there with his black hair a neat mess on the top of his head. His blue boxer shorts and white shirt were wrinkled beyond comprehension. It was like he tried to look as messy as possible. "Morning, sunshine."

By the look on his face I could tell he wasn't amused. "What. Do. You. Want?" He ran his hand through his hair and I could feel the frustration leaking from his aura.

"As if I'm here for you. Where's Lissa?" I looked around inside the room and couldn't get a lock on her. I looked back at him expectantly.

"In the shower." His words were still heavy and tired. "Anything else, princess?"

I pushed past him and walked into the room. I could hear Dimitri and Christian making conversation behind me. Christian was saying something about Dimitri throwing me out. Then Dimitri said I'd probably end up putting up a fight that he just didn't want to deal with right now.

Lissa stepped out of the bathroom and smiled when she saw me. "Hey. Wake up call for me?" Her hair was straight and lay against her back. The green shirt was sleek and shiny and went well with her black slacks.

"Only for the best. Nice look, Liss." I couldn't believe just how mature she looked in that outfit.

"Thank you, Rose" she looked over at Dimitri, "Someone woke up in a good mood this morning." Her smile was a tad mischievous but it still held that regal look.

Dimitri nearly blushed. He wasn't use to being so out in the open with our love life. I walked over to him and pulled him into the room with me. I looked over to Christian "I'll give him back to you when he's needed."

"Wow. Just leave me out in the open, in danger, and helpless." His tone was flat but he acted like he might actually be hurt by my actions.

"Whatever. When have you ever been helpless?" I got a flashback of when we fought together at the school when the Strigoi attacked. He had held his own and took down nearly as many as I did. He had assisted me in some of my own kills as well.

"Yea, I guess I am pretty awesome." He puffed out his chest and posed. This made us all laugh. He slumped back and walked off towards the bathroom. "My turn. Shower time." He kissed Lissa as he passed. "I'll be out in a few."

Dimitri and I stood beside Lissa. "So what's on the schedule for today?" I looked at her suspiciously. "Any more surprises?"

She turned her face away. "None that I know of." She looked back at me and smiled "And don't act like you didn't enjoy that last one."

I looped my arm through Dimitri's "I loved it." I looked up admirably at him. I still couldn't believe he proposed just yesterday.

"Don't get your hopes up just yet". Dimitri's voice was low and timid. "Hans called me and he needs a hand with something". He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I won't be long. I'll come find you when I'm done." Just like that I watched him walk out the room. The last vision of him was the tail of his duster leaving the doorframe.

I don't know why he had to leave. This was our time off. Well, it was my time off anyways. I sighed and could feel Lissa staring at me. "What?"

She smiled and looked away "You guys are so cute". She cupped her chin and sighed. "It's still kind of strange to me. You and Dimitri. I can't believe I didn't see it before."

"Hey, I don't think anyone saw it."

"I saw it."

Lissa and I jumped. Adrian suddenly appeared at the door. "Jesus! Can you knock?" He scared me off my feet. I didn't like feeling unprepared.

He raised his hands in surrender. "The door was open. Didn't mean to scare you." His smug smile said different. He was glad he got the jump on me. "I didn't expect to startle you" he said to Lissa. "Thought you would have sensed my aura." He walked passed her and straight to the kitchen. A strong smell of smoke lingered after him. My stomach curled.

"Why is he here?" I tried to keep my voice low but I wouldn't have minded if he did over hear me.

Lissa shrugged meekly and turned to follow him. "So, uh, what are you doing here so early?"

His voice was a little muffled through the kitchen door. "Looking for company." He was making noise so I could tell he was looking through the cabinets.

"You lose your bottle?" I felt my face flushing from irritation. He couldn't even wait until lunch time.

He joined us again. "Found what I was looking for." He lifted up a bottle of vodka and a satisfied smiled spread over his face. He unscrewed the top and took a swig.

I couldn't believe he was actually acting like this. A swirl of feelings began to creep into my chest. I felt disappointment, sadness, hurt, anger, and a small trace of pity. I knew he could be a better man but he would rather get drunk and sit in his usual cloud of smoke. I walked over and pulled the bottle from his hand. "That is for later. Sorry."

"No fair." He tucked his hands into his pockets. "I don't have any left at my place and nobody seems to want to share." He pouted and leaned his head on the wall. I would have almost felt bad for him if I didn't know any better.

Lissa walked over to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. "Rose and I are going shopping. If you're really as lonely as you claim to be, why don't you just come with us?"

Adrian and I were in unison. "What?" We traded glances at one another.

"It will be fun." She was trying to be convincing but the problem with that was that me and Adrian still weren't on the best of terms with one another.

"Yea, it can be just us girls."

I looked over to the door and discovered a new body that joined our party. "Doesn't anyone know how to knock anymore?"

Mia stepped back a bit shocked by my biting remark. "Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt. The door was already kind of open." She stood just outside the door way.

Lissa stepped forward and beckoned her inside. "No, it's fine. Rose isn't in the best mood all of a sudden." She threw a sharp glance at me. I couldn't tell if she was upset with me or just disappointed. There was plenty of that going around today.

"Sorry, Mia." I ran my fingers through the ends of my hair. I felt like a child that had just been chastened.

She shook her head. "No need to apologize. So, what are we doing today?"

Why did everyone keep thinking that they could just join in on whatever Lissa and I had planned? I tilted my head back and stared at the ceiling. I was kind of hoping it could swallow me and magically transport me to wherever Dimitri was.

"I'm not in the mood to hang out with little girls today." Adrian started for the door but stopped abruptly before walking out. "Hope you have fun, little dhampir." And just like that he was gone.

Mia and Lissa stayed quiet. Suddenly the bathroom door opened. "So I was thinking we should go by…" He stopped and looked around at each of us. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing. Adrian stopped by." Lissa walked over to him and kissed his cheek. "We are going shopping." She touched a damp strand of his hair and smiled. "Want to come?"

His eyebrows rose. "Am I going to be the only guy there?"

"No, Eddie can come with if Adrian doesn't need him." Mia spoke fast and nearly fell over her words.

I felt a small smile creep over my face as all the pieces fell into place. Mia liked Eddie. I could tell by the faces she made every time he came up in a conversation, how she walked awkwardly beside him at the spa, and every time she spoke about him she blushed and fumbled over her words. It was actually a pretty cute match. Mia was a doll, pretty and petite. Eddie was cute, tall, and fit. At least I thought they would make a cute couple or maybe I was reading too much into it. Maybe Eddie didn't feel the same. But why wouldn't he? Mia was a very pretty girl. I shook off the thoughts and returned back to the reality of the room. "And I need to get Ally from her room too. She will want to come with us to do some girl time."

"Speaking of spending some girl time together, I should get Jill to join us as well. She wanted to have some bonding time." Lissa's words were soft and shy. I could feel how unsure she was about the whole sister situation. Jill was starting to grow on her but it didn't change the fact that every time she saw Jill it reminded her that her father cheated on her mother. It hurt to now know that when he was gone. Regardless of the technicalities, she was her sister.

I tugged at Lissa's shirt. "Let's get going then. We're wasting time just standing around." I looked over to Christian. "Are you coming or what?"

"Is Dimitri coming too?" He wanted some guy company. I could tell he was getting fidgety from being surrounded by girls and only having Eddie as company.

I shook my head. "No. Hans has him helping with something." I thought about it. "But he did say he was going to join us later."

"Cool. I'm in." He shrugged his shoulders and stuck out his arm for Lissa to take.

Lissa gently placed her hand on his arm and nodded. "Let's go."

"Alright, I'm grabbing Ally." I look at Mia, "You grab Eddie." Then I turned the happy couple, "And you two grab Jill. We'll meet up at the runway." We all scattered and made our ways to gather the missing people.

When I found Ally in her room she was sitting in front of her mirror combing through her hair. Each brush made the softer red parts glimmer. The door was already cracked open so I just knocked on the inside of it. "Hello Miss Ally." I gave her a friendly smile.

She shot up from her seat "Oh, hello Rose." She blushed and flattened her hair over her shoulder the way Lissa did. "I didn't expect to see you so early in the morning. What's going on?"

I walked in and looked around the room. There were the same gold patterns in here as there were in my room only instead of red the room held a navy blue color. The smell was different as well. It smelled kind of fruity. Almost like a citrus smell. I just couldn't pin it down though. "We are going shopping. Want to come?" It sounded more like a demand rather than a request.

"Sure. That sounds fun. I haven't gone shopping in a while since my cousins came down from Romania. They have the best taste in clothes and they always treat me to something really expensive. Like ridiculously expensive." She stopped herself once she realized she was rambling on. "Sorry. I tend to talk a lot when I get nervous." She gently touched her lips as if that would help to stop the verbal diarrhea.

"No problem. Come on. Everyone's waiting for us on the runway." I signaled for her to follow me. She started to but then quickly stopped to grab something from the bed. It was a small hand bag that matched her purple dress. She tucked it under her arm and nodded to me.

"Ready."

We got to the runway and spotted Lissa, Christian, and Jill waiting for us. It was a bit of an awkward setting. Lissa and Jill were standing side by side trying to make idol conversation. I could see the wall made of tension sitting between them. It was a weird scene for sure. "Where are Mia and Eddie?" I asked Christian as we approached.

He shrugged "Not too sure. But I'm guessing they are on their way." He pointed at the two shadows in the distance walking towards us. "Oh, here they come."

"Awesome. We're all set to leave." But as the dark figures got closer we realized that they were Hans and Dimitri.

"Hey all done." Dimitri stood in front of me and I could still smell his fresh scent of soap.

Hans eyeballed me for an instant and then took in the rest of the group. "What are you all up to now?"

Lissa smiled sweetly. "We are going shopping as soon as Mia and Eddie get here."

"Shopping?" He looked at Dimitri. "You were in a hurry to go shopping?"

Dimitri's face flushed slightly but his face held that stone guardian look. "I really had no idea what we were doing exactly." He looked at me as if expecting me to back up his words.

"It was a last minute kind of thing." I said. I was wondering if he knew about me and Dimitri to the extent of us being engaged.

"Ah ha." Hans still sounded a bit unsure of the whole situation. "Well then I suppose you won't mind that a few more guardian's accompany you."

I jumped into defense mode. "Lissa has Dimitri, Eddie and me to watch her." I sounded like a child fighting for some independence. "Plus Christian and Mia have been training to defend themselves with magic."

Hans stared me down again. "Yes, but Queen Vasilisa Dragomir needs more protection than one personal royal guard."

He had definitely got me there. I was still use to it just being us. It was still unusual for both Lissa and I to have a crowd of people surrounding our personal space. Lissa looked at me and I felt like she wanted the bond to still be there just so that she could relay a message to me. But I could tell by the look on her face that she wanted me to stop fighting the system and just accept it as it is. "Fine". I felt defeated but I was still optimistic about the whole thing. Maybe we would get some cool guardians to join in on the fun.

Lissa spoke in her regal and confident tone. "Who shall be my escorts?"

Hans took a booklet out from under his arm and shuffled through the pages. He stopped and sighed. "The only ones available right now are Eddie, Mikhail, Serena, and Meredith." The last one sent a sudden shock of guilt through me. The last time I saw Meredith I had laid a pretty hard hook to the side of her jaw.

Lissa nodded in agreement to him. "That's perfect. Thank you, Hans." He bowed his head and sent a sly look of achievement my way. "And how fast can you get them here?"

His eyes shot straight back to her and went cold. "As soon as possible Queen Vasilisa". He turned and started towards one of the buildings that the guardians were in, I'm guessing. But then realization hit me.

"Where are Eddie and Mia at? What could be taking them so long?" I shot a side long glance at Dimitri. He knew what I meant and he nodded. I turned to the others. "We'll be right back. We're going to go see what's keeping them."

Lissa stepped forward, "We'll go with you."

Dimitri stopped her. "We can do it faster if it's just me and Rose." He caught his words and bowed his head. "I'm sorry but Rose can keep up with me and the sooner we get to them the sooner we get back."

Lissa nodded in agreement. "Okay. We'll be waiting here." She walked back over to Christian who wrapped his arms around her waist. They seemed content in their place so Dimitri and I ran in the direction of Eddie's apartment.

The door was open. Dimitri and I traded glances. I took a step forward and he grabbed my arm. I looked at him and he shook his head. He put himself in front of me and walked in. All the lights were off and I could barely make out the objects in the room even with my dhampir vision. We reached another door and light was seeping from the bottom. Dimitri opened it slowly. The door didn't even make a sound. He peered around the door and pulled his head back. His eyes were wide and he closed the door slowly. His hand covered his face and he signaled me to follow him back outside. It was like he was trying to hold his breath.

We reached outside and I stared at him puzzled. "What happened? What did you see?"

His face turned pink and he shook his head. "Maybe we should just go back and wait for them with the others."

The puzzled look never left my face. "What? Why?" I looked back at the door. The darkness was suddenly interrupted by someone turning on a light. I stepped away from the door and stood beside Dimitri.

Mia emerged in front of the door. "Hey!" She jumped up. She tried to smooth her unruly curls back behind her ears and began trying to put it all into a ponytail.

Eddie came up from behind her. His soft face was suddenly hardened into somewhat of shock. "Hey. We were just heading over to meet you all." He looked over to Dimitri. "Mia said you weren't going to make it. Change your mind?"

He smiled. "Yea. I made it back just in time." He cleared his throat. "Hans is actually assigning you to be one of Lissa's guardians for the trip."

"That's great". Mia tried to sound encouraging but I could hear disappointment. Maybe she wanted Eddie to herself, it would seem.

"It wouldn't be the first time Eddie has had to protect Lissa." I nudged his arm and laughed.

He smiled back at me "But it's the first time I'd have to do it outside of the wards and the first time since she became queen."

Dimitri stepped up. "Well, we should be getting back to everyone. Lissa wants to take off already."

Mia blushed. "Sorry. Eddie had to get ready." She looked at the ground and fiddled with her fingers. "How long have you all been waiting?"

"Not long." I looked down at my wrist and realized I wasn't wearing a watch. I covered my wrist and laughed to myself. "We actually came to see what was keeping you guys."

Eddie shrugged. "Just getting ready, like Mia said."

"Alright then, let's get going." I was tired of the weird things happening today and was actually looking forward to shopping.

The run back was slower than the one we had going over but we had to slow our pace so Mia could keep up. I really didn't care because Dimitri was with me and I was glad to have any time I could to spend with him before the weekend was over. Today and tomorrow were all that I had left until the next weekend came. And that was only if he and Christian came back too. It was times like these that I wished my life was less complicated. We reached the runway and once everyone got their bearings we boarded the plane and set off for a full day of fun at the mall. And what better place to shop than Missoula.

The fly over was long but I wouldn't have known. I slept most of the way. When I opened my eyes I saw Dimitri's face. He smiled once he realized I was awake. "Sleeping beauty awakens."

I rubbed my eyes a bit. "Are we there?" My voice sounded a bit drowsy even to me. I looked around and everyone was standing up to get off the plane.

"We landed just a few minutes ago. It took me a while to wake you up. You're a heavy sleeper." He pressed a kiss to my forehead.

His lips felt warm against my skin. At this point I just wanted to sneak away with him. Of course I knew better now that I was mature and stuff. "Where's Lissa?"

He looked up and pointed to where Christian was standing. "She just stepped off in front of Christian. Don't worry. I've been keeping an eye on them both." He offered his hand to help me up. I took it very willingly. I just wanted his touch.

We walked off the plane hand in hand. Lissa, Christian, Jill, and Ally were waiting for us on the bottom with the other guardians. Mia and Eddie followed close behind us. I turned to Lissa "So where to first, captain?"

She took in her surroundings and pointed towards the mall's clothing centers. "I want some new dresses and outfits."

Christian's smile grew. "You know being the queen you could have gotten some especially made for you at one of the shops at Court, right?"

Lissa elbowed his ribbed lightly. "Of course I knew that but they all seemed so busy dressing and fitting other royals. I didn't want to be a bother."

Serena stepped forward. "You're not a bother. You're the queen." She placed a gentle hand on Lissa shoulder. "We'd all drop anything for you just as you'd sacrifice anything for your people".

Our group grew silent as we all pondered on this revelation. Serena was right. Everyone in our world would give anything for Lissa now. She was the queen, the ruler, and last but not least, her bloodline was endangered. There were only two Dragomirs left and we were in their company. I'd always considered it a great honor to have Lissa as a friend and now it was even more than that. She was like a sister to me and even though our spiritual bond was gone we had a built a new stronger one out of our friendship, love, and trust.

I reached out and hugged her. This got a startled reaction out of her but then she quickly returned the hug. "Come on, Lissa." I held her wrists. "Let's go shopping."

She smiled and we threw our arms over each other's shoulders and walked in unison over to the clothing stores. We walked by a few windows and looked inside. Some had gorgeous gowns on display while others had blue jeans and T-shirts. Lissa pulled me into a dress shop with her. There were gown and dresses of every kind lining the walls and filling the racks.

"What colors did you want in your wedding?" I shot a glance to Lissa who held a smug smile on her face.

"Really? Are we really shopping for my wedding already?"

Dimitri laughed. "Well May is basically around the corner. We should get a start on things if we want to be ready."

"_This _May?" My jaw dropped and I could tell my reaction was entertainment for the whole group. "I figured we'd just do it next year."

Dimitri's smile dropped a little. "Oh, well if you want to wait until next year then…"

I cut him off, "Why wait, right?" I smiled and touch his arm reassuring him that I did want this. I wanted him. I wanted for us to be together in all and any way possible. "What colors, dear?"

Lissa grabbed a canary yellow gown off one rack, "Yellow is pretty." She pressed the dress against her body and twirled.

Jill grabbed a blue dress, "But blue is a pretty color too. It blends well with the white dress." She looked up at me suddenly, "Are you going to wear a white dress?"

I laughed. I hadn't really thought about it. I figured I was but now I was thinking ivory. Or maybe off white. My mind was running with details that I didn't realize that everyone started arguing that a bride _had _to wear white on the wedding day while others were saying that some brides like to wear an actual color. I put my hands up in the air. "Stop! Stop, please". The buzz died down. "Let's focus on the maids and escorts first and then we can jump into the deep end. Okay, kiddies?"

Dimitri's gazed showed that he was proud that I had been the one to do crowd control. I was usually the one who caused the outburst and drama. I guess I really was becoming more mature.

We walked from rack to wall and back again until we all agreed on a deep red color. The dresses that the girls picked out were elegant and beautiful. Lissa's had a v-neck line that stopped just above her breasts. The hemline reached down to her knees and it was cinched off at the waist with a white sash. It was satin underneath with a see-through sheath on top. Jill's dress was a bit more simple. It had a high neckline and it was knee length just like her sister's. It was cinched off under her breasts and had a big bow on the back. It seemed like a dress for a young girl so it suited her just fine. Mia picked out a dress that was a bit more revealing. It had a plunging line down the back but the front was a high neckline. It was sleek and ran down to her calves. It was still flowed a bit like the others but only when she walked. It came with a thick sash that went over her shoulders. This outfit really made her seem older. She no longer looked like a child, which was for sure. Meredith, Serena, and Ally tried on dresses just for the fun of it. We signed up to have the dresses altered to fit each girl perfectly. They would be ready and shipped off to Court at the end of this month.

The boys had a bit of fun when we went in to the next store to look at suits. Christian put on a powder blue suit with a ruffled white button up underneath. He could have walked straight out of a 70s magazine. We all laughed when Eddie's choice was super eloquent. It buttoned all the way up to his chin and the tail was ridiculously long. It nearly touched the ground. They even talked Mikhail into trying some suits on. He seemed shy about the whole thing at first but then joined in whole heartedly. His choice wasn't that bad. The only weird thing about it was that it came in navy blue and a baby blue button up underneath. We all laughed but then began to take the process seriously. The boys picked out all black suits and white button ups. Each came with a vest the color of the dresses and a tie. It was a cute photo opt if we could all just stop and take a picture.

Mikhail walked up to a mirror and sized himself up. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Well, I need to be picking out a tuxedo soon anyway."

I quickly walked up to his side, "Oh my gosh, are you and Sonia getting married?"

He smiled wide. "Yea, and that's not the only new news we got either." He turned and faced everyone. "I got something big to tell you guys." Everyone stopped chatting and gave him their undivided attention. "Sonia and I are having a baby!"

I nearly dropped over. "Oh my God!" I gave him a huge hug. "Congratulations!"

All the girls ran up to him and gave him hugs while the guys did the more macho thing and gave him tough handshakes and 'way-to-go' speeches. All the girls retreated into a cloud of baby names. The boys were busy laughing it up and talking about the day that they would become dads. But then it hit me. I looked up to Dimitri. He was displaying a smile but I could see the pain behind his eyes.

I walked up to him and pulled him aside. We sat on a bench down the aisle and I clasped his hands in mine. "Are you alright?"

His gaze was on the floor. "I'm fine. It's just that…" He sucked in a deep breath before he continued. "I will never be able to give you that." I followed his gaze to Mikhail. It was a sad look. Like he was disappointed in himself that he didn't have that simplest power.

I touched his face and turned him to meet my eyes. "I don't need that. I have you. That's good enough for me."

He gently took my hand from his cheek. "Is that enough? Don't you want to have a family someday?"

I sighed and squeezed his hand. I knew no matter what that words weren't going to convince him. "I have my family. And if we want kids later we can always adopt." It was a stupid joke but at least it brought a smile to his face.

"I don't think many people in our part of the world put kids up for adoption". He forced a laugh and brushed his lips on my forehead.

"I'm sure if my parents knew how big of a handful I was going to be they would have put me up for adoption the day I was born."

This brought out a natural laugh from the both of us. His gaze deepened and burned into me. "I just want to give you everything." He kissed the back of my hand. "I want to make you happy."

My hand tingled where his lips had touched and sent a shock of electricity through me. I felt myself blush. "Just having you. That's all I need to be happy."

He smiled but I could still see the doubt floating through his eyes. It made my heart ache to see that sadness.

Lissa appeared beside us. "What are you guys doing by yourselves? Not planning on running away, are you?"

Although I knew it was a joke I still thought seriously about it. It wouldn't be such a bad idea. A nice get-away. Just Dimitri and me. We might even be able to escape to Siberia to see his family. I shook my head. "Not yet."

We both stood but he still towered over both Lissa and I. I was always amazed by his looks, his height, his touch, and the completion I felt from his presence. We walked over to the others. I was surprised that Lissa was able to sneak away from her guardians without being noticed. Maybe they figured they could keep an eye on her from a distance. It was a small store after all and there really wasn't anywhere to disappear.

Jill suddenly popped up in front of my face. "Rose!" She grabbed my hands. "Now is it wedding dress time?" I could tell she was anxious to help pick out the big dress. I still wasn't too sure what I was looking for but I knew I didn't want Dimitri to see it until our wedding day.

I turned to Dimitri. "Um, we are going to look at bride's dresses." I still felt a little aw struck from knowing _I_ was the bride-to-be. "Tradition is…"

"I know. The groom can't see the bride in her dress until the big day". He leaned down and kissed my lips. "We will be at the food court." He brushed a loose strand of hair behind his ear.

Eddie stood up "I have to go where Lissa goes."

Lissa lifted her hand and shook her head. "Of course you don't. I have three girl guardians with me and Mia is pretty good with her magic and fighting skills." She gestured to all the girls. "I think I'm in pretty good hands. Don't you?"

Eddie hesitated at first but then nodded. "Okay." He shot a quick glance at Mia and smiled. "I guess we'll be in the food court."

I lifted my hand as if to declared victory. "Let's get going."

The store was filled with all sorts of wedding dresses. Some were super puffy while others were slim and sleek. One by one I tried each dress that the girls picked out for me. But they just didn't fit what I wanted for my wedding. It wasn't how I had pictured it. Then when I reached what felt like my millionth dress Meredith walked up to me with a dress that was breath-taking. It had a slight puff to it but it was strapless. The top was covered in pearls that ran down the side and down unto the back of the dress. The train was trimmed with a purple color which I later was told that it could be ordered to the color of my choosing. The veil was small. It attached to a barrette that had the same small pearls. It was beautiful.

I went to the back to try it on. It wasn't a perfect fit but the woman helping me took my measurements down to get the order ready. When I stepped out on the little platform all the girls gasped in awe. "How do I look?"

Meredith was still waiting where I had left her after she handed me the dress. "You look perfect."

I gave her an appreciative smile. "Thank you". I turned back to the others. Lissa walked up with tears in her eyes. "Well Liss?"

She wiped a tear off her face and smiled. "You look beautiful, Rose. Don't be surprised if Dimitri is speechless the day of the wedding."

We all laughed and Mia threw in "I guess Lissa can give him one of her fierce elbows." This drew more laughter.

Ally fluffed the back of the dress up and laid the train out along the floor to show its length. "Wow, Rose. I hardly know you and here I am helping you pick out your very own wedding dress." Her voice began to crack.

I touched her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

She waved her hand. "I'm fine. It's just that I'm not use to these kinds of things." She sniffled and Jill hugged her for comfort.

I stepped down and walked to Meredith who still seemed a bit standoffish. I put on a friendly smile. "Thank you for finding this dress." I cleared my throat. "And I never got to apologize about that punch I landed the day of my escape."

She let out a laugh. "No problem. I've gotten worse from you at the academy before. In fact, I think you might be losing your touch." She nudged my arm.

I laughed. "Hey, just be glad I was holding back." We hugged. It felt good getting that off my chest and clearing the air between the two of us. Even if it was in a bridal shop.

"I guess we can test out each other's skills once we get back to Court."

"You bet." I turned and walked back into the changing room. Once I was out of the gown I felt light. I hadn't realized just how heavy it was just to wear it and walk around in it. I figured it didn't matter. I was just going to wear it for one day.

Lissa burst through the door and tucked herself behind me. She closed the door quickly and quietly behind her. "Don't say a thing." Her voice was low and shaky.

"What are you…" Her hand clasped over my mouth and stopped me from speaking. I could hear movement out in the store. It was quick and soft like someone was trying not to be heard.

I looked down at Lissa and I could see the panic in her eyes. She was scared. Finally I came to the realization of what was happening. I was more than sure that if I still had been shadow-kissed that I would be getting that queasy feeling in my stomach. I would have been able to sense the Strigoi before they had ever gotten near us.

By Shadow-Kiss Mori


	2. Chapter 2

My mind was racing. I couldn't believe this was happening. Strigoi were out in public. What did this mean? All I knew was that in this moment I could jump out of the dressing room and attack them before they found us but do I have back up? Where was everyone? I couldn't believe that I didn't notice the whole store go quiet. I looked at Lissa and my stomach knotted. I had sworn to protect her with my life and I almost messed that up. I had to get something done soon or we'd be the ones cornered in this tiny dressing room. I could feel my breaths coming and going at a steady pace. The soft steps were getting closer to our door and I could smell death lingering in the air. It felt like time had frozen and the whole world was holding their breath. Now.

I flung the door wide open and gripped the stake. My eyes scanned the figures in the store. There were three of them. The closest one was a young looking girl. Her face was pretty aside from the obvious Strigoi features. I lunged at her, stake lined up with her chest. But a hand grabbed my wrist. It was an older looking Strigoi. His hair was black streaked with strands of grey and his eyes were dark brown. He stood steady and didn't move an inch. In a split second I swung my leg back for a strike but he dodged it gracefully. He was fast. Another shadow flew past me and I changed my stance to defend my back. It was Serena and Meredith. They had my back.

I turned to face the Strigoi again and one was advancing on me. It was a guy. His blonde hair had a surfer-boy style and his eyes would have been a brilliant blue if not for the red ring. I grabbed his wrist and flipped him onto his back. I raised my stake to strike and was shoved off. The old man was on me fast. I could smell his breath. It reeked of death and decay. I tucked my legs underneath his body and sent him flying into a rack of dresses.

I turned my head to locate the nearest Strigoi. I spotted Meredith with her face cut and grasping her arm in pain. She was cornered by the young girl and a bunch of manikins. I was ready to run to assist her but the old man was on his feet again and was ready to attack. I made a quick sprint to Meredith's side and manage to only get grazed as I slipped by the man and girl. I pushed her behind me, "Go get the guys."

She grabbed my shoulder, "But…"

"Go now!" I gave her a shove towards the door and attacked the pair. I struggled in a clench with the man and the girl managed to sneak behind me and wrap her arms around my neck. I could feel my chest fighting for air as I threw myself backwards hard onto the floor. I heard a crack and the arms around my neck went limp. I quickly shot up and snaked my stake into the man's chest as he leapt on me. I put in an extra shove to be sure that it did hit his heart. His eyes went wide and then blank.

I heard a rush of footsteps coming towards me and pulled my stake out of the lifeless body. I spun around and came face to face with Dimitri. His hands grasped my shoulders, "Where's Lissa?"

I lifted a heavy hand and pointed at the dressing room. "She's safe." She sat on the floor nearly invisible due to the big dress I had left hanging in the room. Only one side of her face peaked out to watch the mayhem that had occurred.

He glanced back at me and his face was one full of concern. He ran his eyes over my body. "Are you hurt?" I felt his hand gently touch my cheek. He pulled his and away and I could see the red liquid stains on his fingers. His eyes were soft and caring. I could see love and worry. "Let's get you cleaned up." He pulled me to him.

I stopped and took in my surroundings. The old man's body was on the floor motionless. He was dead for sure. I quickly searched for any sign of the other two. Serena had taken out the surfer-boy Strigoi. His body was being held up by a rack that she had caught him on. His eyes were still open but his expression was blank. It was like he was staring at thin air. I looked away and started for a search for the girl. Her body lay splayed out on the floor. There was a dark puddle of blood surrounding her head from the impact of when I slammed her on the ground. I shivered but then her body stirred.

I grabbed Dimitri's arm, "She's still alive." I could barely hear myself. My voice was low like a whisper.

He turned and looked at her. He pulled out his stake and walked over. His eyes were now clear of affection. He only held anger. I could feel it pouring off of him like an essence. I'm sure that Lissa could see a red ring enclosing his aura. I quickly reached for him to stop. He glanced at me. "What are you doing?"

I felt a lump form in my throat. "Don't."

His eyes widened. "After they just tried killing you all, not to mention Lissa, you're just going to let her live. She's one of them."

I closed my eyes remembering that he was once one as well and Lissa had saved him. Could she do the same for other Strigoi? Would she?

Lissa's hand was gentle on my shoulder. I flinched at first from the kindness and knew all too well she was thinking the same thing. I held her hand tightly and wouldn't let her advance. "Liss, the darkness." I looked down again. I had mixed feelings. She could save this soul but it would come with a heavy price that would only affect her. I couldn't help her with the darkness anymore. "I can't let you."

She smiled lightly, "Look at her, Rose." She stepped towards me and gestured to the girl. "Look how young she is. Do you think she wanted this life? Do you think this was her choice?" Her voice held concern and pain.

I looked away from her gaze, "I can't let you hurt yourself. I have to protect you." My voice was cracking. I could feel tears trying to fight their way to the surface. I tightened my grip on her hand. "I just can't let you risk yourself. I won't be able to help you if it gets too hard to handle."

She looked back at the girl. "They need me. They are a part of our people and I swore to give my life to them."

Serena stepped forward. "They are not our people." Her words were hard and cold. "They may have been a part of us but once they turn there's no telling why they did it. What if she did want it? Don't you think she'll turn back the first chance she gets?" Her voice echoed throughout the room and it made me flinch. She spoke the truth but from the look on Lissa's face I knew she didn't see things that way.

Lissa's eyes shot up. "Look at him." She signaled to Dimitri. "Look at him and tell me again that they are not part of us."

I glanced at Dimitri. He was a bit taken back by this outburst. This was something we rarely talked about because of the effects it had on him. Even though he said he was fine I could see it. It hurt to remember what he went through. He didn't want those memories. My mind rushed back to one of our conversations when he was turned back.

_Dimitri's hand was tracing the small of my back. His fingers were warm and soft. "I can still see their faces when I sleep." His eyes looked off into the distance as if pulling in a long lost memory. "Sometimes they come to me when I'm awake. I can hear their cries and my stomach curls from the sick feeling that builds."_

_I turned his face to mine and looked into his eyes. His focus finely came upon me and I smiled. "That wasn't you. You couldn't stop it. It was _him_. You are not that man." I pressed a kiss to his lips and tasted the tears that stained his face._

"_I may not be that man but he controlled me. He used my hands to do his dirty work." He held his hands up in front of our faces and I traced my fingers on his palms._

"_These hands are clean." I pulled one to my mouth and brushed my lips with his fingertips. "That was not you. You have to clear your conscience. You're a good man, Dimitri."_

_He cupped my face and I wiped a stray tear from his face. I doubt he even noticed that he was crying. He seemed too lost in grief to seem to care. "I can only forgive myself. I cannot forgive him."_

My thoughts came back to reality and I saw Dimitri was deep in thought as well. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him to me. His arms encircled me and his grip tightened. I could feel his heart beating hard beneath his chest. He was hurting and at that moment I wish I had the power to take away his pain, his grief, and suffering. I wanted his Strigoi past to just vanish and leave him at peace. It wasn't fair. It wasn't his choice.

Serena's voice was timid as she spoke. "He was different. We _knew_ he hadn't turned by choice. We don't know anything about this girl."

Christian stepped forward and gently grasped Lissa's hand. He stroked the back of his fingers on her cheek and her face showed as if that touch held all the love and comfort in the world. "Do what you think is right."

With that Lissa extended her hand to me, "Rose, please give me your stake." Her eyes were passionate and determined. She had her mind set and she was going to bring a Strigoi back to life for her second time.

I hesitated at first but then slid my stake into her hands. I felt my fingers tremble as I released my grip. I felt like I was betraying my oath to protect her but at the same time I could not deny Lissa her own choices. If she truly felt like she had to save this girl then it was what she had to do.

Lissa's eyes shut and her face became serious. She was focusing a lot of spirit and channeling it into the stake. The air around us was light and clear. I took in a breath to help release the tension that had built on my shoulders. I felt like the world was slowing down and I was smack dap in the middle of the problem. Was this the right choice?

Lissa opened her eyes suddenly and took a deep breath. I could tell by the look on her face that the process had been exhausting. She took a few steps forward but I stopped her. "Wait. Let me and Serena hold her down, just in case." Lissa nodded in agreement.

Serena and I grabbed a hold of the girl's arms. She was still pretty limp and weak from the blood loss but she was becoming conscious. I looked at Lissa and nodded. We were ready. Lissa's hands rose with the stake firmly held. She plunged it down into the girl's chest with one strong motion. It was a direct hit. There was a sudden burst of light and pressure. The same reaction that had happened when I saw Sonia brought back. It was just too much. My grip gave way and I flew into the wall barely catching myself before my face hit. The light was blinding and then just as quickly as it came it was gone.

The room was silent. Everyone was clinging to the walls or sprawled on the floor. Lissa was sitting on the floor holding the young girl to her. The girl's arms were wrapped around Lissa's waist as if clinging to her meant holding on to life. Her eyes were filled with tears and she was sobbing heavily. She looked even younger now that her Strigoi features had vanished. Her black hair fell onto her face as she buried herself against Lissa. Lissa just stroked her hair and spoke softly to her in hushed tones but I could see the fatigue coming over her. She was tired and was barely holding herself up. I had to go to her.

I stood and walked over to her. "You need to rest." I still felt the airing buzzing around me from the initial shock of the experience.

Lissa nodded and signaled to the others. Dimitri reached her first. "We'll take care of her." He grabbed the girl's arm and lifted her up. She was a bit wobbly and scared but she didn't resist. She actually looked a bit shocked but relieved.

I helped Lissa to her feet. She was weak and exhausted. I put her arm over my shoulder and we took small steps. She looked at me and smiled. "I'm going to be alright, you know." Her voice was very low. "You don't have to worry about me."

I laughed and returned her look of exhaustion. "I'm your guardian and your friend. It's my duty to worry about you, Liss." I smiled and she smiled in return. It was strange not having the bond but I could still understand what messages she wanted to convey just by the looks she gave me. We had been connected for so long that I realized I knew her all too well. She was a big part of me.

I sat her in the van we had rented. She stretched her body out against the seat and fell into a deep sleep. I looked over at Dimitri who had followed close behind us with the girl in his arms. "What now?"

He shrugged. "We call the Alchemists and get this area cleared up." He reached into his pocket and began dialing a number. Whoever he was speaking to knew automatically what the call was for. The conversation lasted a good two minutes before he hung up and nodded. "Everything's set. We have to get back to Court."

I helped him place the girl into the next row in the van. Serena and Mikhail sat on separate sides of her to keep an eye on her. Jill sat on the same seat with Lissa and Christian, and rested her head on her lap. He wouldn't take his eyes off of her. Mia and Ally sat up front with Meredith between them. "Dimitri, Eddie and I will wait here for the Alchemists to show and then we'll meet you back at Court." I looked at Mia, "Keep an eye on her. Keep her safe."

Mia nodded, "I will". Then we watched them drive off.

It didn't take long for the cleaning squad to show up. They were people I hadn't seen before. I was half hoping Sydney would have been the one to show up but I should have known better. The last time I saw her she was locked inside that hotel and waiting punishment from both the Alchemists and Abe. They cleaned up pretty fast and one of the men approached Dimitri. "Were there any casualties?"

He shook his head. "None on our side."

The man's face held a puzzled expression. "How many Strigoi?"

"Thr… Two." I should have just kept my mouth shut.

The man looked me up and down. "Just two?" He looked back at Dimitri. "They must have been pretty strong to have been able to rough up three guardians. And where were you, Guardian Belikov?"

"I was in the food court with Lord Ozera. The girls insisted on some alone time. It was a direct order from Queen Dragomir." On the surface he looked cool and confident but I knew he was nervous on the inside. I wanted to go to him and assure him that we had nothing to worry about. We were both doing our duty and we managed the keep everyone safe.

"I was with Lis… Queen Dragomir." I stepped up to the man and stood my ground. "Meredith and Serena assisted in defending her from the attackers and Meredith was injured during the process." I could feel his eyes digging into my soul. "In fact, she was the one who ran to get help from Guardian Belikov and the others."

He just looked down at his note pad and scribbled something down. "Is that so?" He looked back up at me. "So, which one did it?"

I was at a loss for words. "Who did what?"

He rolled his eyes. "Which Strigoi injured her? I need to get this incident in a report."

I was trapped. It was the girl that had injured her but I couldn't say that to him. He did need to know that Strigoi could be changed back. But what if he already knew? Would be chasten us for not killing her? Would he report us for reckless behavior? There were too many unanswered questions. I had to lie. "It was the older man. She was assisting me to fight him and Serena took down the younger man."

He scribbled some more down. I could feel anxiety building. I hated lying and Dimitri was trying not to lie anymore too. I'm sure he felt this lie was just as much his as it was mine. The man looked at me again and actually smiled. "Alright. We are done here." He turned to walk away.

"Wait. You mean that's it? That's all you needed?"

"Rose." Dimitri said a lot with just my name. He wanted me to let it go. If he dug into details anymore he would notice something was wrong with our story.

The man pivoted to face me and nodded. "That's all I need from you. The rest will reveal itself on the security cameras." He turned his back to us and walked into a crowd of his people.

Crap! I hadn't thought about that. Of course they were going to get the security videos. They needed to cover up all angles to be sure nobody in the human world knew about our existence. Sweat started to accumulate on my brow and I was starting to panic. I looked at Dimitri but his face was expressionless. I couldn't believe he could be so calm. Here I was dying of stress and he didn't seem to mind what was happening. I walked over to him slower than I would have liked and grabbed his hand. "Great, now what do we do?"

He smiled. "Didn't you notice that Eddie isn't standing with us?"

"Yea, so?"

"He went to take care of something that I knew might cause a problem." A clever grin spread on his face and it comforted me.

I loosened my grip on his hand. "Oh God, thank you." I wanted to kiss his beautiful face.

He looked down at me and we turned to and walked off to find Eddie. "I did it for all of us." He sighed. "This day has been more than any of us could have predicted." He looked me up and down again. "And you're sure that you're fine, Rose?"

I wasn't so use to having people so concerned about my well being and now that is was coming from Dimitri I felt comforted. It was a pleasant feeling that washed over me. "I'm fine" I touched the sore spot on my face. "Just a scratch."

He stopped and gently touched my face. "Let's get that cleaned." I couldn't help but remember the story his mother had told me about him learning to baking bread. His hands were strong enough to kill a Strigoi but gentle enough to stroke my skin with affection and apparently graceful enough to bake homemade bread. I smiled at the memory.

"Alright." We walked side by side with our arms barely touching. That simple contact was comforting. I cherished any moment I got to be near him.

The bathroom in the plane back to Court was small but it had just enough room to fit Dimitri and I. He gently brushed a cloth on my cheek. It stung from the medicine. "Ow." I pulled back a little. "You know that stuff stings, right?"

He laughed lightly. "Yes, Rose. But it will help clean out your wound."

I flinched again as the medicine made contact. "Damn, that stuff hurts more than when I got the wound."

He leaned forward and blew gently. It helped to sooth the sting. "Does that help?"

I felt my face blush. "Yea." His face was so close. I wanted to take him in my arms. I just wanted his touch. For some reason whenever we were around each other there was always that electricity. Always there beckoning me to him. It was like he was a drug to me. Everything about him was intoxicating. I just wanted to drink him in.

I guess he must have been feeling the same thing because he sighed heavily and leaned back against the wall. He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled. "Why does this have to be so hard?"

"Because we are guardians. We need to stay focused on our duty and not one another." My voice was mocking. I felt myself repeating one of his own lectures.

He smiled. "That's not what I meant." He leaned forward and his body was looming over me. "What I meant was, why does it have to be so hard for me to resist… you?"

I leaned towards him and our faces were just centimeters apart. "Why do you resist?" It was a dare. I wanted him to kiss me. I didn't see the problem. We were alone in a bathroom. Yes, it was a tiny bathroom but all I wanted was a kiss. Maybe more than one.

He sighed "Because if I give in I may lose myself." His fingers traced my face, ran down my neck, and over my shoulder. He cupped his hand there and stroked my skin with his thumb. It was enough to send shivers through my body.

I brought my mouth to his and grazed my lips over his. "Just a kiss then?"

He didn't need words to answer. His lips took in mine and I melted in his arms. It was passionate and full of desire. I wanted it to last for as long as it could. I felt his hand tangled in a mess of my hair. The other was around my waist holding my body against his. I wrapped my body onto his and felt the missing piece of my soul connect to his.

Then someone knocked on the door. "Are you two okay in there?" It was Eddie. "I don't mean to interrupt but I have to use the bathroom." His voice was a bit shaky. It made me wonder how long he had been waiting for us to get out of the bathroom.

Dimitri pulled away and leaned against the wall again. "Almost done. I'm just bandaging her up." His eyes were still full of that wanting. But he calmed himself and gain his control.

I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed. "I wish we had more alone time." This made him laugh. "I'm serious. We hardly have privacy and that's because I'm supposed to be on vacation." I picked up the cloth and touch my face with it. "So much for that."

Dimitri took the cloth out of my hand and kissed me. "We will have plenty of time together." He pulled out a medium sized bandage from the box and gently covered my wound. "After all, we have the rest of our lives to spend with one another." He looked satisfied at his work and kissed my forehead.

I smiled at his last comment. He was right and I just needed to have more patience. "Okay". I hated admitting he was right but I had to give him credit. He was right more than half the time.

We stepped out and Eddie rushed in. I guess he really needed to use the bathroom.

Back at Court there was a crowd of people surrounding the palace. I knew instantly it had to do with two things. One was that everyone heard about the Strigoi attack and that Lissa was caught in the middle of it. Second was that Lissa had brought back yet another Strigoi. The law for this sort of thing wasn't even passed yet so I knew that many of the Moroi were going to be upset about bringing back Strigoi to life. Many had the same outlook on Strigoi that Serena had. What if the Strigoi had changed by choice? What if they tried to change back once Lissa saved them? Wouldn't they kill again? It was just too many unanswered questions to be sure about safety.

Dimitri, Eddie, and I pushed our way through the crowds and finally got to the doors. The guardians at the front instantly knew who we were and let us pass. Eddie stopped once we got inside. "I need to find Adrian. We'll meet up with you later."

"Wait." I grabbed his arm. "Don't you think that he'll be with Lissa?"

He shook his head, "Not with this kind of commotion going on. He'll be at the bar." He smiled and I released him. Eddie knew Adrian more than I did now for sure. He was his personal guardian and that meant knowing your charge inside and out.

Dimitri and I made our way to Lissa's room. Sure enough as we opened the door she was sitting on her bed stroking the tips of her hair. She looked up at me and I just ran to her. I could see the look of worry and exhaustion all over her face. "Have you rested?"

She shook her head. "They put Hope in the jail." Her eyes watered.

I looked puzzling at her. "Who is Hope?"

She smiled. "I got her to talk to me. The young girl." She fiddled with her fingers and looked down at the floor. "Her name is Hope and the other two were her father and brother." Tears began to form in her eyes. "He changed her when he was turned many years back." She sobbed softly. "It wasn't her choice."

I let her cry into my shoulder. This was huge. A Strigoi was back from the other side and she was putting all her faith in Lissa. This could change our world. If we could save more Strigoi we could eventually wipe out that entire part of our world. We'd be safe. But that was just a fairytale as I realized that there were plenty of others that would change willing at the drop of a hat. We could only try to contain their numbers. There would always be Strigoi.

Dimitri was pacing the room. I could tell he wanted to do something. Anything. He had a restless nature like mine. We had that in common. We both felt the need to do something to help others. It was the right thing to do. He stopped and looked at me. "What do we do now, general?"

Lissa's head shot up. "What _are_ you planning, Rose?"

I was staring off into space. Time seemed endless and I knew I had to do the right thing. I couldn't just stand around while some poor girl was probably scared out of her mind sitting in that God forsaken cell that I once was held in. Dimitri knew that feeling all too well. "Let's get her out of there."

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	3. Chapter 3

The jail was heavily guarded but being friends and the personal royal guardian to the queen had its advantages. I walked up to the guardian at the front. He was the same guy that made idol conversation at the store I was arrested at for the murder of Queen Tatiana. I smiled casually and he nodded as I passed.

The halls were just as dark and cold as I remembered. I started getting that claustrophobic feeling and decided it was best just to put that aside for right now. All it would do is hinder my abilities.

I approached Hope's cell. It was the one that held Dimitri when he was turned back from being Strigoi. I could barely make out her figure as she was curled on the far side of the room. I leaned forward against the bars and sighed loud enough to be heard. "Isn't the floor cold?"

She raised her head slowly and looked at me. She looked so sad. She reminded me of one of those puppies you see at the pound. I pitied her and I wanted her to get a second chance. Lissa was right. It wasn't her choice to change into one of those monsters yet here we were. It didn't change the fact that she was once Strigoi. They'd run tests on her just to be sure she was going to stay a dhampir. "I like it down here. It gives me more room."

I smiled kindly at her. "The room shrinking?"

"Only when I look at the walls." Her voice trembled a bit as if she was trying not to cry.

I felt guilt build up in my stomach. "That man that helped you at the store…"

"Dimitri. Lissa told me all about all of you." She paused. "Thank you for everything."

This was just a sad scene. How could anyone mistake this poor creature for being evil? "Yes, Dimitri. He was locked in this very cell not too long ago."

Her face took on a worried look. "Why would they lock him up?"

I ran my hand through my hair. "Well because he was like you." I paced just two steps to each side so I could stay in her sight. "He was turned against his will and Lissa saved him just as she saved you." I stopped and looked her in the eye. "They didn't trust him for quite some time but now, now he's back and they've accepted it."

She shook her head. "But he was one of you. You all knew him." She looked down at her hands "I'm just a nobody. A stranger that was saved by the queen. Nobody is going to trust me." She buried her face in her hands. "I'm never going to be free."

I wanted to reach in and shake her. She couldn't give up hope. "Please, Don't give in." I stuck my arm in through the bars and reached out for her but she was just beyond my fingertips. "You can't just give up. You were given a second chance at life. Cherish it." I pulled back and waited. "Hey, most of us only get one life." She slowly lifted her head and looked me in the eye. "People like us are rare. For some reason a greater power found us deserving enough to be given an extra chance. And you're telling me you're just giving that up?"

She stood up and walked over to the bars. "What do you think I should do?" Her voice held fear. "I can't just walk out of here. Our people are not the understanding type, Rose." She grabbed my hands. Her skin was cold. "They will do anything in their power to be rid of Strigoi and if I am deemed a threat what do you think will happen to me?"

"I won't let that happen to you, Hope." My heart was hurting. I couldn't let them harm her. She was innocent. In my eyes she was a lot like me and Dimitri. Innocence is harder to believe than guilt. It was so much easier to agree someone was evil and to sentence them to execution. "Trust me, please."

She squeezed my hand. "I'm scared." Tears welled up in her eyes. "Did Lissa tell you everything?"

I shook my head. "Just the basics." I thought about it. "Why did your father change you?"

She sighed and sat on the floor against the bars. "I was only fifteen years old." Her glance went off into a deep memory. She was no longer in her cell. "My father had been turned when I was ten so I was pretty use to him not being around. My mother was a stay at home mom. Very pretty. She had this way of making everything okay." She sighed and dropped her head. "My brother, Matthew, was a sweet guy. He had a girlfriend. They were going to get married too."She smiled at this memory but it dropped and a shadow covered her face. "My dad showed up out of nowhere. He just walked into our house as if he was welcomed." She shut her eyes tightly. "My mother tried to fight him off…" She sobbed softly. "She should have just ran away. He _killed_ her." Her hands clenched into fists. I gently placed a hand on hers. I don't think she noticed. "He turned his fangs on Matthew first. He gave him the choice." Her eyes shot up at me so fast that I jumped. "He only said yes because my dad threatened to hurt Venna. He wouldn't have done it… he wouldn't have." Her voice trailed off. "He was a good man. He wouldn't have change into one of those _things_ if it was_ really_ his choice." I could tell this made her angry just thinking about it. I couldn't even imagine the hate she must have held toward her father.

I squeezed her hand. "It's okay, Hope."

She shot up, "No! It's not okay!" She started pacing heavily in the cell and one of the guards stepped forward. I waved him off.

"I can handle this." He nodded and stepped back.

I looked back at her. She was in a rage. "It was not okay." Her voice was calmer but still held an uneasy tone. "It's never going to be okay, Rose." She walked back up to the bars. "When he turned on me I begged him and begged him not to. I fought back as hard as I could but I was _weak_." Tears were streaming down her face and her cheeks were a bright pink from how worked up she was. "He laughed at me, Rose. He laughed and he did it anyway." Her voice trailed off again. "My own flesh and blood made me into a monster against my will. He murdered his own family." She slammed her fist against the wall. "What kind of man does that? Who can kill someone they love? Why my mother? Why my family?" She crumbled to the floor and buried her face in her hands once more.

The guard beside me patted my shoulder, "Your times almost up."

I brushed his hand off. "Can't you see that this girl is distraught?" My voice was louder than it should have been but this was killing me. How could anyone be so heartless?

He stepped back. And then adjusted himself. "Fine. You can take it up with Hans when he comes down here."

I smiled smugly, "That's fine with me." I turned back to Hope. She was still folded up on the floor. "Hope?"

"What am I suppose to do?" She sounded helpless. She looked at me pleadingly. "What do I do now, Rose?"

I knelt on the floor to get at eye level with her. "Have patience. Have a little hope."

Sure enough heavy footsteps were coming my way. Hans appeared around the corner. "What are you still doing down here?" He looked at the guard.

"She was ready to put up a fight." The guard stepped back and let Hans take his place at my side.

"Guardian Hathaway, what are you doing down here? You were only permitted an hour."

I looked at my imaginary watch. "It's already been an hour? Feels like I've only been here ten minutes."

He eyeballed me. "You know that I know you're lying. Please leave this facility or I will have to get someone to escort you out."

"Please I just need a little more time with her." I gestured to Hope.

He looked her up and down. "It doesn't seem like you're making much progress. She's still in the same spot she has been in for the past day."

I jumped up. "No, no. She was just talking to me."

Hans placed a hand on my shoulder. "One day at a time, Rose." He looked over at Hope again. "She needs some rest. And so do you. You've been through much."

I stepped out of his reach. "I am fine, Hans. Please."

He shook his head and raised his hand to stop me. "I'm sorry, Rose. Tomorrow. You can come back tomorrow."

I stomped my foot like a child that didn't get her way. "Fine! But she better be safe." I looked at her. "Hope, please stay strong." I touched the bars a final time as if it were her and turned to walk away.

I heard her voice softly as I exited the hall "Good night, Rose. Stay safe."

Tomorrow was taking forever to get here. I was restless. Dimitri sat on the edge of the bed. "Please, Roza. Just come to bed."

I pointed a finger at him. "Don't. Don't try to calm me with that condescending voice." I continued my pacing.

I turned and he was standing right in front of me. I was pacing to fast to stop myself from running into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me. "Please, Rose." His voice was gentle and low. "I'm worried for you."

I tried to pull away. "Worried about me? How could you worry about me when there's an innocent girl sitting in that damn cell for no reason?"

He grabbed a hold of my shoulders. "Rose, stop it!" He was serious. "You don't think that bothers me? I was once in that same position, remember? I know how it feels from personal experience."

"No, you don't." I stared at him intently. "She was turned by her father. He killed her family and we finished them off."

He pulled me to him and held me. "We didn't mean to. It was a do or die situation." He pulled back enough to look at me. "You saved her, Roza. Lissa may have held the stake but you didn't let anyone touch her. It was your stake Lissa used."

I forced a laugh. "Why couldn't you see it like that when Lissa saved you?" It was a bad time for jokes but it helped soften the mood.

"Because I didn't want you to save me, Roza. Not after everything I had done to you." He kissed my forehead. "But you did. You saved me when nobody else would."

I sank into him. "You finally admit it."

He laughed and I felt it through his chest. "Of course. And I'll admit it a million times over until we die."

I smiled and buried my face in his chest. "How about a million trillion gazillion times?"

We both laughed. "That times two."

I finally just gave in and we just lay in bed together. His warm embrace was comforting but I felt like I would never find sleep until Hope was free. Eventually my fatigue gave in and I slept. But when I woke up it felt like it had only been five minutes.

Dimitri stroked my cheek. He was lying back with my head resting on his chest. I just followed his breathing and the rise and fall of his chest. I picked at the loose threads on the end of his white shirt. "Good morning."

I smiled, "Good morning."

"Did you sleep well?"

"I don't remember."

He looked down at me with a puzzled expression. "No dreams?"

I shook my head. "None that I can remember." I traced my finger across his chest, "Did you?"

He smiled, "I dreamt of you."

"Of course you did." I laughed softly and ran my fingers through his hair. I loved the way it felt like silk. I stopped suddenly. "Hope."

"Hope?" He tried to pull me back down as I jumped out of bed.

"Yea, I'm going to go talk to Hope and see what else I can find out about her. See if they're going to set the test for some time soon so they can let her go already."

He sighed. "Rose, why do you have to do this so early in the morning?" He managed to grab a hold of the back of my pants. "Can't you just lay with me for a while longer? We could mess around."

That was very tempting. "I'm sorry," I leaned over and kissed him. "I can't just leave her there alone. She's not built for it. You should have seen her yesterday." I nearly fell over trying to pull a t-shirt over my head.

He sat up on the edge of the bed and helped me by tugging the shirt down off my head. "Maybe I can join you. I do have experience in the matter."

I placed my hands on his shoulders and squeezed. "That would be extremely helpful. This girl feels helpless. It's heart breaking." I pulled my tennis shoes on and fumbled with the laces.

"Well, it seems hopeless when you're finally back in your body." He pulled his jeans on quickly and threw his duster on. It reminded of a cowboy from a western. "It takes a while to adjust to normality."

"Either way you could help me to convince her that it's not hopeless. There's a huge chance that they'll let her go."

"I'm here to back you up." He took my hand and kissed it.

I smiled sweetly and kissed his cheek in return. "Let's get going, partner."

The walk over seemed like it took forever. We found an unexpected surprise when we reached Hope's cell. Lissa was there. She was standing just a few inches from the bars. There were two guardians on each side of her. She looked so mature. Her hands were folded gently in front of her and her hair was pulled back into a bun. She must have heard us walking towards her because she suddenly stopped talking and looked in our direction.

"Rose, what are you both doing down here?" She didn't seem too surprised.

"I could ask you the same thing. I came to talk to Hope and keep her some company." I stopped beside her and gave her a light hug. "Dimitri came with me to help."

She smiled at him and he bowed his head. "Good morning, Guardian Belikov." She looked back into the cell. "Hope, Rose and Dimitri came to see you."

She came out of the shadow. Her face was pale and dark circles hung beneath her eyes. She looked like she hadn't slept. I couldn't blame her. I touched the bars. "Hey Hope. How are you feeling?"

Her head hung miserably and she half smiled. "I'm tired. When am I getting out of here?"

I looked to Dimitri for help. He put on a friendly face. "We're trying to move up the date of the test so we can get all this cleared up. Hopefully soon."

Her smile grew. "Thank you. I don't know how much longer I'm going to last in this hole."

"Well, actually I have some really great news. For all of you." She smiled big but managed to keep her fangs concealed. "The test has been moved up to Wednesday."

"This Wednesday?" I was excited.

Lissa nodded. "Yes. Hans and myself will be administering the test." No wonder she was smiling. How she pulled it off was beyond me. This area was meant for guardians and she managed to smuggle herself in. Everyone loved her.

Hope grabbed the bars and reached for Lissa. "Thank you, thank you so much Queen Vasilisa!" She fell to her knees and tears of joy ran down her face.

Lissa held her hands and knelt down with her. "It was something I had to do."

Dimitri stepped forward and spoke in hushed tones to one of the guardians. They pointed to the exit and started indicating directions. I guess he needed to find something or someone. Dimitri nodded and gave his thanks. He walked up beside me and put his lips to my ear. "Let's go talk to Hans. I'm going to try to get her parole."

I shot him a quick glance and nodded. I grabbed Lissa's arm. "We're going to talk to Hans. We'll be back later." I looked at Hope. "Don't worry. We're going to get you out of there."

She was still in tears but nodded. "Thank you all. I cannot show how grateful I am to all of you."

"I will stay with you as long as they allow me to." Lissa was still holding her hands.

Dimitri and I went off to find Hans. He was in the chapel. He was sitting towards the front on his knees. I hadn't taken him as the devout type but I guess you can't judge a book by its cover. We reached him and he kept his head bowed. "Hello Guardian Hathaway, Guardian Belikov. What can I do for you?"

We sat beside him. Dimitri took the seat closest to him. "I'm here to talk to you about giving that poor girl some parole time."

Hans slowly raised his head and sat down on the pew. He sighed heavily. "I can talk to the council. They ultimately have the final say. I can only suggest it." He looked at us both. "We are still on the Moroi's turf."

Dimitri looked over at me. I was still thinking about making a scene at Court to get their attention. "We have to try, Hans. Please."

Hans looked me over. "Why do you want to save her so badly?"

Dimitri took it from there, "Because she's innocent. She didn't want that life. She's like me."

Hans' eyebrows rose. "I'll do what I can." I felt a rush of hope. This might actually work. She'd still have a swarm of guardians following her but at least she was going to get out of that dungeon.

We thanked him and went on our way. This was huge. I couldn't believe that this test was happening for the third time in history. Dimitri was the first, Sonya was put through it as well, and now Hope. We were making history. If this became a normal habit imagine how many lives we could save.

We were making our way back to our room when we ran into Christian. He was sitting by himself in the lounge. He looked up at us and shot up from his seat. "Rose, I need to talk to you."

I gave Dimitri a nod and he kept walking. "I'll see you in the room."

I touch his face. "I will be right there."

Christian's face looked troubled. "It's about Tasha."

I stopped and took a step back. "What about her?"

He sighed and roughly brushed his hair back with his fingers. "She wants to talk to you." He made this face like he was frustrated with the thought of it all. "She said to come get you and that it was a long overdue talk." He looked at me with concern. "I honestly advise against it but it's really up to you."

I didn't think twice. We obviously had some unresolved issues to clear and why not when she was the one trapped behind bars. "When?"

"As soon as possible."

"I can't today. I have more important things to worry about." I looked off in the direction Dimitri had walked.

He nodded and put on a smile, "I know. Lissa's really worried about her too."

I looked at him. "And you're not?"

"I am concerned for her wellbeing but she's not really anything to me, Rose. She's just a girl we saved off the streets. It was pure chance that you didn't kill her."

I looked at the ground. "I know. I thought about it too. I could have just killed her but you don't see it as fate that she lives? She's like Dimitri…"

"No she's not." His response we quick and defensive. He cleared his throat. "She is not like him." He turned his back to me and walked off before I could get another word out.

I was so lost. What did he mean by his last comment? Why so hostile? I couldn't sit on the matter. Too many things were going on. I went off to join Dimitri.

He was sitting in the huge armchair by the T.V. with his feet propped up on the coffee table. A western novel sat comfortably in his hands and he looked at peace. I walked behind him and encircled my arms around him from behind. I could barely link the tips of my fingers together because the chair was so thick and Dimitri was no string bean. He touched my hands and looked at me. "Hey. What did Christian want?"

I looked away. I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell him. "Nothing big."

He gave me a concerned look. He could tell I was lying. "If it was nothing big then why are you trying to avoid the subject?"

I tried to pull away but his grip tightened on my hands. I was stuck. "Someone gave him a message to deliver to me." It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the full truth.

"And who, may I ask, was the message from?"

He wasn't going to drop it until I came out with the truth but for some reason I was scared. I didn't think that this topic would bother me so much but I knew that Tasha and Dimitri were once really close friends. I didn't like the look it gave him whenever her name was brought up. It bothered him that she could do something so cruel and evil. It bothered us all. I finally decided on shrugging my shoulders and gave a simple, "No one."

His expression dropped a bit. "Was it Adrian?" I was sort of taken back by his guess.

"No!" I jumped into defense mode so quickly I might have given him whiplash. "It was Tasha." My mouth felt thick just speaking her name. I didn't want to have to tell him. I realized I didn't want to let him know because he'd just worry about it.

As I had guessed, his face went to stone. "Tasha?"

"Yea, she wants to talk to me about something." He let my hands go and I stood up straight. I ringed my wrists. "Like I said, nothing big."

He stood up and placed his novel down on the chair. His body loomed over me and I felt dizzy. Why did I feel so nervous? "I don't want you going down there to see her." He looked truly concerned. "You don't know what she's capable of, Rose."

I stood up straight and tried to challenge his height. Of course it was no use. He was still way taller than I was. "I have to talk to her. I want to know what she has to say." I looked at the ground. "Her execution is set for two weeks from today. After that she won't exist."

He sighed and raked his hand through his hair. He really looked upset and I wondered if it was because I was being defiant or if it was because he was upset about Tasha's execution. "If you're really set on this then at least don't go alone."

"I won't. Christian will be there too." I wasn't completely lying. I was going to ask Christian to join me just in case Tasha tried any of her tricks. I wasn't leaving anything to chance, she was a fire user.

He gave in. "Fine." He pulled me towards him and just held me to him. He was warm and his presence was dulling my senses. I was being taken over by emotion. He tipped my face up to look at him. "I just want to keep you safe, Roza. I love you too much."

I felt like putty in his hands. He was so perfect. I entwined my fingers together behind his neck and pulled him down to me. "I love you too much too." He smiled and our lips met. It started off as a gentle kiss but quickly escalated.

He lifted me up and laid me gently on the bed. His hand ran the length of my leg up to my thigh and then my hip. His lips made their way down to my chin, my neck and my collar bone. I threw off my shirt as he somehow managed to free me from my jeans. He leaned over my body and looked me over. His eyes took in every feature and I felt completely comfortable being naked in front of him. There was nothing to hide. He ran his finger down the middle of my chest down to my belly button and replaced his finger with his lips. I giggled lightly. I couldn't help it, I'm ticklish. He let out a chuckle and looked me in the eye. "You're so beautiful it hurts."

My body trembled. I wanted him more than ever. I pulled him to me and we met with a passionate kiss. I pulled his shirt over his head and flung it somewhere above us. His flesh was smooth and hot. I ran my fingers against his back and pulled him down onto my body until there was no room to move. Every touch and sound was pleasure to every one of my senses. The moments seemed to last forever. The ending result did not disappoint.

I rolled my tired body off of his and curled up against him. He wrapped his arms around me and laid his head on my chest. I stroked his hair and he looked up at me. His eyes were low but I could see all the love in the world in his deep dark eyes. If I could have one thing I'd wanted to stay like this with him forever. Just lay with him and have each other all to ourselves.

I thought I was going to have a peaceful dream but then I realized I was standing outside the ski lodge. I looked around and sighed. This could only be the work of Adrian. Sure enough he was standing by the entrance with a lit cigarette in his hand. The air smelled of cloves. He gave me one of his easy smiles and I approached him. "Hello little dhampir."

I stopped beside him and propped myself up against the wall. I felt like it was a safe distance from him. "Hello Adrian. What is so important that you couldn't wait to tell me in the morning?" Then my mind rushed into thoughts as to why he would. "Is Lissa okay?" I felt the panic in my voice.

He raised his hand. "No, no. She's fine." His smile grew wide. "No need to worry yourself."

I crossed my arms across my chest. "Then what?" I was losing my patience.

He sighed and his smiled dropped a little. "I remember a time when you relished my visits. Now you make it seem like I'm just a pest." He looked out to the night sky. "Always playing the role of hard to get. Always playing a game. No matter how the heart breaks it enjoys the games so long as it satisfies the soul. It fills the void."

I hated seeing him so out of it. His gaze was glossy and his hands were down at his side. Spirit was taking its affect on him. I reached for him and placed my hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

I was sincerely worried but he didn't take it that way. "Don't play with me Rose." His words sounded harsh and cold. I pulled my hand away. He looked at the floor and then back at me. "I'm not looking to let you try to fill that void again." He placed his hands protectively over his heart. "It just hurt more."

I turned away from him. I still cared about him and I was scared for him. He was falling into darkness and I was unable to pull him back. He would not allow it. "I'm sorry but I have no time for games." I turned back to him. "Give your heart my condolences."

A small smile made its way to the edge of his lips. "Little dhampir. Why must you be so beautiful?" It was a rhetorical question. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I came to tell you that your friend Ally will be leaving in the morning. Probably before you're even up."

I gave a puzzled look. "Why is she leaving?"

He laughed out loud and it held an unstable note. I flinched a little. "Because she's scared. Who wouldn't be? She was put in quite a dangerous situation with Strigoi recently and her gracious hosts have abandoned her."

"We did not abandon her!" I hated being accused.

"Are you so sure?" His eyebrows rose and I felt my mind starting to wonder. "She's been hanging out with myself and Jill. In fact, Jill is the one taking her home."

I shook my head. "That's impossible. Jill cannot leave the Court without a heavy guard."

He looked at his fingernails and traced the tips with his thumb. "I know. She's being heavily guarded. She's not stupid, Rose."

"I never thought she was. You know I care about her. She's like a little sister to us all."

"Then stop patronizing everyone and thinking they don't have things planned out!" His eyes were like daggers. "Don't underestimate your little friend Hope either."

Now I was really confused. "What does Hope have to do with any of this? You don't know anything about her."

"I made a little visit to her cell just today." He started pacing and I realized his steps were bringing him closer and closer to me. "She thinks you can save her. That you are her savior."

I took a step back. "I'm just trying to help her."

"I know, I know." His tone was mocking. "You're always trying to do the right thing. Always trying to save someone. Yet you don't even realize how close you are to the edge yourself."

With those words the scenery changed. The ski lodge vanished and we were standing on a cliff. My feet were barely catching the edge. I almost lost my balance. Adrian caught my wrists and pulled me to him. I looked him in the eye and I felt scared. "What if you're right?" I looked behind me at the edge. "What if I'm already falling and I never even saw it coming?"

He turned me to look him in the face. "You're too busy saving everyone else that you don't even see the ground coming up to meet you." He ran his fingers on my cheek and I froze. He looked at his fingers as if they didn't belong to him. "Rose?" He took a step back and released me. "Rose, what if I'm falling?" I was speechless. "Do you think you could save me?"

I grabbed his wrists. "I'd sure as hell try."

The wind whipped past us. It was cold and smelled of rain. I looked to the sky and noticed dark clouds rolling in. When I looked back down at his face he was staring at my shirt. "That is not your color."

My hand involuntarily reached up and touched my shirt. "Not the right color?" I looked down and saw that I was wearing a blue shirt.

He touched the hem and it suddenly turned a blood red. "Rose is in red, never in blue…" His voice sounded distant and I recalled a time when he said those exact words to me. I shivered and I wasn't sure if it was from the memory or the small drops of water starting to fall on us.

"Adrian?" His eyes shot up and I felt like he could see into my soul. I placed my hand on his cheek and his hand followed. "I'll always be here for you." I felt tears well up in my eyes but I didn't try to fight them. "You are a wonderful man and a great friend." I looked to the ground and felt the hot tears stream down my face. "I'm so sorry that I hurt you. If I could go back I would have been honest. I didn't want to hurt you but I had to be true to my heart."

He tilted my face up. "I love you, Rose. You will always have a place in my heart. Even if…" He paused and laughed. "Even if it's just as a friend."

I wrapped my arms around him and felt his arms encircle me. "Please forgive me."

He squeezed. "I already have."

The dream world faded and I woke in my dry warm bed still wrapped in Dimitri's arms. I looked down at his face. He was still peacefully asleep. I ran my fingers through his hair and sighed. His eyes fluttered open. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

I cupped his face and kissed him. "Perfect." He laid his head back down on my chest. "Just perfect."

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	4. Chapter 4

I woke to a fresh day. I peered out my window. The sky was clear and the sun was at its horizon. Dimitri wrapped me in his arms and rested his chin on top of my head. I held his hands. "It's it just beautiful?"

He sighed. "It's pretty perfect." He twisted a lock of my hair on his finger. "Did you have good dreams last night?"

A flash of Adrian's face ran through my head. "It was pleasant."

He tightened his grip. "Pleasant, huh? What'd you dream about?"

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Forgiveness, peace, and rain."

He turned me around and our eyes met. "Rain is pleasant?"

I shrugged. "It was a light rain and it smelled of damp earth."

"Mmm. That sounds nice." He kissed my forehead and pulled away. He walked over to his bags and started pulling out clothes. He dressed pretty quickly.

"What are you doing today?"

He stopped and looked over at me. "It's our last day together before you and Lissa head back to school. I figured I'd do something special for you." His smile was a bit mischievous.

I walked over to him. "Really? Hmmm." I threw myself on the armchair. My legs hung off one arm while the other side supported the small of my back. "And what, may I ask, do you have planned?"

He laughed at the mocking tone in my voice. He placed one hand on my leg and ran his fingers up to my knee. "Nothing you need to worry about now." He leaned down and planted a kiss on my lips. "I'll see you soon." He turned and walked out the door.

I decided on a shower before I headed out. I needed to relax and clear my head. I was still a little taken back by what had happened last night. Was that all just a dream or did Adrian and I really have that conversation? I wanted it to be real. I wanted his forgiveness and his friendship. I was jolted out of my thoughts when I heard the door to my room open. I poked my head out of the shower. "Dimitri?" There was no answer. I wrapped myself in towel and opened the door. I didn't see anyone. Was my mind playing tricks on me?

I stepped out of the bathroom and I suddenly ran into someone. I nearly punched him in the face. "It's me! It's me!" Christian blocked his face. I had definitely scared him.

I lowered my fist. "What the hell are you doing sneaking into my room?"

"I wasn't sneaking in, I knocked and nobody answered but Dimitri said you were still here when I ran into him in the lounge."

"I didn't hear anyone knock."

"I guessed that when you didn't answer the door." He ran his hand through his hair. "You know you're just in a towel?"

I looked down at myself and threw my head back "Ugh!" I looked back at him, "Can I have a second to get dressed at least?"

He turned his back to me and walked into the next room. "I'll be in here." Then he closed the door behind him.

I dressed and dried my hair. Christian was sprawled on the couch flipping through the channels when I went in to meet him. "Hey", I hit him over the head with a pillow. "What did you want?"

He sat up and hung his arms over the back of the couch. "I came to accompany you to Tasha's cell. I figured you'd want company."

It was like he read my mind. "Thanks. I was actually going to ask you."

He stood up. "Of course you were." He walked past me. "It wasn't like you were going to ask Dimitri."

I felt my face blush. "I told him."

He shot me a glance. "What was his reaction?"

"He just wants me to be safe. I told him I'd ask you to come with me for back up."

He smiled, "You really think Tasha wants to hurt you?"

I gave him a sharp look, "Well, she did kind of try to frame me for the murder of Queen Tatiana and have me sentenced to an execution. So, yup. Pretty sure she'd try to kill me."

He sighed and let out a forced laugh. "Yea, I guess she kind of did." He still seemed like he was in disbelief of the whole thing.

I put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. We should get going."

He nodded. "Sure. But first can we grab a drink?" My face must have showed him how puzzled I was. "I just need a little bit of Adrian's liquid courage."

I sighed. "Fine. _One_ quick drink and then we head to Tasha's cell."

I couldn't believe I actually agreed to this. The bar was almost empty but there were a few bodies scattered. One of which was Adrian. He was leaning on the table for support and sat up straight when he spotted me and Christian heading his way. "Aw. Did you guys come to give me company?" His words were a bit slurred and I could tell that he'd been here a while.

"We came to help sooth Christian's nerves." I patted his back.

Christian smiled. "I just need a little help. Seeing Tasha like that makes me uneasy." He looked to the floor and kicked at the imaginary dirt. "She's basically the last family I have."

Adrian hugged him. "Naw, we are all here for you."

This was an amusing picture. Adrian had a crooked smile and Christian was trying to hold him up. I almost laughed if not for the sad look on Christian's face. I helped to put Adrian back in his seat. "How long have you been here?"

He looked around and finally rested his eyes on me. "I'm not too sure. An hour or two."

"Maybe longer." Christian took a seat beside him. He waved for the bartender to bring him a drink.

The guy made it over relatively quick. "What'll it be?"

He pointed to Adrian's glass. "I'll have what he's having."

He smiled. "Jack and coke it is then." He turned to me "Anything for you?"

I shook my head, "I'm good."

Adrian stopped him before he walked away, "Wait, wait, wait." He gave me a serious look. "You have to have a drink with us."

The bartender decided to jump in. "Yea, don't be a buzz kill."

I sighed. "Fine, then get me a cherry vodka sour."

The guy nodded. "Good choice."

Adrian eyeballed me. "Wow, Rose. I didn't know you knew your drinks."

"Well, you pick up things when you travel half way across the world."

The bartender returned with all our drinks. Christian raised his, "Here's to luck."

I raised mine, "Here's to friendship."

Adrian stared at his glass a moment and then raised it slowly. He sighed heavily, "Here's to love."

Our glasses clinked together and we took our first drinks. It didn't take long for Christian to get buzzed once we reached our third glasses. He was starting to act like Adrian. They were laughing about something when I decided that this was enough.

"Alright. Fun's over. Time to visit aunt Tasha." I grabbed a hold of his arm and helped him to his feet.

He threw his arm over my shoulder and pulled himself up. "Okay. Let's get going." He reached back to the table and tried to grab his glass. "Can I take my drink with me?"

I pushed it out of his reach. "No, sir."

Adrian stood up. "Can I come too?"

Christian shot up straight and nodded. "Yea, let's take Adrian with us."

They both seemed way too drunk to be this enthusiastic. "Yes, Adrian can come with us if you both behave yourselves."

Adrian shrugged. "I'll be good."

"Good." Adrian threw Christian's other arm over his shoulder and helped me walk him out. It took some time to get there because we were baring all of his weight on us. I looked over at Adrian. His gaze was up ahead on our destination. "So did we really have that talk or was it all a dream?"

"It was a dream but it really happened." He smiled smugly. "You weren't sure it was real?"

I looked at the ground. "I wasn't sure if you could really forgive me. Not after everything."

"Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy." He rubbed his hand on his chest. "It's still a bit sore too. But you're not a bad person, Rose."

"Sometimes I feel like I am. That it's just been luck that has gotten me this far."

"And why would luck find its way to a bad person?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I hadn't really thought it through to that point."

He let out a laugh. "Take my word for it, you're not a bad person."

I smiled at him. He was a great comfort to have. I hadn't realized how much I missed his wit and charm. "Thanks."

Christian finally lifted his head up. "I'm glad you guys made up. It was starting to get weird."

We all laughed including Adrian. I had missed his natural life. In this light he really looked happier. His face lost the dark circles and the worry-creases that started forming on his forehead smoothed themselves out. He was truly a handsome guy.

We had to straighten up before we reached the jail. We made Christian presentable and fixed Adrian's messy hair. It wasn't much but we managed. When we approached the guard stopped us. "What business do you three have here?"

Christian stepped up. "We are here to speak with the prisoner Tasha Ozera." I was amazed at how well he held himself.

The guard looked us over once more. "You have an hour." He opened the doors and let us pass.

We made our way down the halls. She was being held in a secure cell towards the back. The sign above the doors heading in had the words written 'DANGER: MAGIC' on it. They had deemed her a threat and obviously weren't taking any chances. When we finally got to her cell there was one guard on each side. She was sitting in a chair with her feet propped against the bars. "I was wondering when you were going to make your way down here." Her voice was low but she didn't sound any different from when we last spoke.

"What do you want?" I leaned against the wall. "You can't frame me for anything in there."

She laughed and got up from her seat. "No. I can't, can I?" She swept her hair to one side and I could see the scars on her face. Her pale blue eyes shined brilliantly. She wasn't losing sleep over anything. "So, you've come to hear my final words."

"I'm here because you asked for me and to find out why you did it."

She smiled and leaned against the bars. "I really did like you, Rose. You're sweet, beautiful, and you're always trying to do the right thing." She scoffed at the last comment. "Why couldn't you just drop it and let James take the fall? It could have been so much easier."

"Because James didn't do it. You did." I walked up to the bars and met her stare. "You were supposed to be my friend."

She straightened up and our noses nearly touched. "And Dimitri was supposed to be mine!"

I laughed. "So that's what it was all about? You couldn't stand that he loved me and not you."

She walked away and started pacing in her cell. "That and because I needed someone to take the blame. And why not unstable Rose Hathaway?"

"Wow, that's pretty pathetic."

She glared at me. "What's pathetic is that you got everything. No matter what happens you seem to end up being the one with a charmed life."

"My life is anything but charmed."

"Oh really? Okay then tell me this." She cleared her throat and walked back to the bars. "If you're so unlucky then why are you still breathing? Why'd you get the guy? Why do you get the happily ever after?" She pushed away from the bars. "You're a dhampir! Your life was supposed to be set in stone. If you hadn't been around, Dimka would have accepted my proposal and we'd be happily married by now." She leaned against the bars and brought her face forward. "But you want to know something? I can give him something you can't."

I leaned towards her. No way was I going to back down from this bitch. "And what might that be?"

A cruel smile spread on her face, "The family he's always wanted."

I froze. She got me. I couldn't give him a family. But he said he loved me. We pretty much cleared this conversation but now, now I was wondering if it was him that felt cheated. Maybe he was the one who felt like he was being denied that gift of being a father. "No." My voice came out as a whisper.

She smiled wider. "No what? You think I'd lie about that?" She tapped her temple with her index finger. "You forget I've known him for many years. He and I were pretty close. He told me all his wishes, his hopes, and dreams."

"We've already discussed this." I turned my back to her. "If this is all you wanted then I will just leave." Adrian and Christian were still with us. I had nearly forgotten that they were here. Christian looked embarrassed while Adrian looked sort of angry. He was staring at Tasha with an icy glare.

"I guess you can leave if you don't want to know what I really have to say."

I stopped and slowly turned back to her. "What. Now?" I was losing my patience and fast. I was starting to get the feeling that she just wanted me down here so she could torment me.

She walked back to her chair and propped up her feet. "You have to promise to be nice to me."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you seriously going to keep this up? I'm beginning to think this was just a waste of time. This 'information' probably isn't even worth the walk it took to get us here."

"You assume way too much, Rose." She stroked her cheek with her fingers and traced her scar. "Worrying too much will give that pretty face of yours wrinkles."

I touched my own face and quickly dropped my hand. She was just trying to stall. "Out with it already!"

She raised her hands and laughed a little. "Okay, Ms. Bossy." She stood and tossed her long black hair off of her shoulders. She leaned against the bars. "Come closer. I don't want the others to hear."

One of the guards looked over at us with concern. "Not too close," he mumbled as I leaned in.

I leaned towards her. She put her lips by my ear and spoke softly. "All your world is crashing down and nobody will be able to save you, Rose. But know that I am not the only one here that wants to see you fall, fail, or die trying to do the right thing." She laughed softly. "You never know if someone might be purposely putting themselves in danger just to lure you in." She slowly backed away and walked back to her chair.

I grabbed the bars. "Why would you tell me that if it was true? Why would you warm me?"

She shrugged, "I didn't do it for you, little girl." She looked at Christian. "I'm sorry." I looked at him as well and he just shook his head before he dropped it. "Please forgive me for abandoning you."

"I can't" Christian's voice was low and meek. "I can't forgive you for hurting my friends and the people I love." He looked back to her and there was sadness written all over his face. "I cannot save your soul."

She sat down abruptly and stroked her hair over her shoulder. She cupped her hands together and blew warm air into them and there was an orange glow. She looked at her hands. "My soul cannot be saved, Christian. I am as cursed as a Strigoi." Her eyes shot up to him and gleamed. She definitely had some scheme running through her head. She wasn't going to go down without a fight. "I'm just asking for forgiveness."

He shook his head. "That is not something that I can give." He turned his back to her and started walking out. He called to us over his shoulder, "I'll be waiting outside for you both."

Adrian walked up to the cell and grabbed my arm, "Let's go." He shot a warning glance at Tasha. "I've had just about enough of her."

She smiled at him and he took a step towards her. I grabbed him and pulled him back. His skin was hot. "Don't. She's just trying to get under your skin."

"Yes, Adrian. Be a good little boy and mind your dhampir." She was mocking him and having fun while doing it. She looked amused and pretty damn pleased with herself. I couldn't understand why we didn't see this cruel part of her before. She always played the part of being a good and supportive friend. I hated knowing that she was just pretending the whole time and I fell for it.

Adrian's fists balled up. He was getting more and more upset. He wasn't the fighting type and I'm sure he would never hit a woman but she was getting pretty close. Maybe for her he would make an exception. I looked over to Tasha. "Maybe you should be more worried about your upcoming execution instead of trying to pick on your nephew's friends."

Her face went cold. All the humor that was there just a second ago vanished. When I looked at Adrian he was starting to look pleased. I guess my last comment helped to ease his anger. I grabbed his arm and turned him with me to leave. We could still hear her behind us, "Sweet dreams, Rose. Tell Dimka hello for me".

The outside air was fresh and it helped to sooth my nerves. I was upset from speaking with Tasha and from the look on Adrian's and Christian's faces they were too. I placed my hand on Christian's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

He smiled. "I'm fine. Just a bit shaken. That's all."

Adrian joined in, "Christian is shaken? Impossible." It made him chuckle. I was glad to see he wasn't too hurt.

He patted Adrian's back. "Let's go get a drink."

I laughed, "You guys didn't get enough earlier?"

They exchanged looks and shrugged. Adrian spoke first, "Since when do I get enough to drink?"

I looked at Christian with concern. "Shouldn't you be spending your day with Lissa since we are leaving tomorrow?"

He slapped his hand to his head. "Crap, I forgot tomorrow was your guys' last day!" He started smoothing out his clothes and trying to fix his hair. He turned to Adrian, "I'm going to go see Lissa."

Adrian bowed, "Until next time, Lord Ozera. It was a pleasure."

Christian bowed back mockingly. "Always a pleasure, Lord Ivashkov."

Adrian shivered. "Please don't call me that. Too many people say that to my father and I just feel gross when referred to by the same name."

This made Christian laugh. "Sorry. Later, Lord Adrian." He turned to me and bowed his head. "Good day to you, Guardian Hathaway."

I bowed back, "Lord Ozera."

He turned on his heels and ran towards the palace. Adrian approached me. "So, what do you have planned for the rest of the day?"

I smiled but then I suddenly remembered something. I grabbed Adrian's wrist and looked down at his watch. "Crap, I need to find Dimitri."

He forced a laugh. "You're late for something?"

"Yes, no. I'm not sure." I raked my fingers through my hair. "He said he had something planned for our last day but he didn't give me a time or place or _anything._"

He extended his arm for me to take. "Let me escort you to your room."

I smiled and took his offer, "Thank you." I sighed and let him lead the way.

I was a very peaceful walk. We didn't say much but once we reached the room he stepped aside. "I guess this is where we say goodbye."

I smiled at him, "Not goodbye, just a see-you-later."

His natural, comfortable smile came into play. "I'll see you later then." He extended his hand for me to shake.

I moved his hand out of the way and hugged him. "I'll see you later." I could smell the alcohol from earlier and a hint of cloves from his cigarettes. I was pretty amazed that he hadn't pull one out the entire time we were around each other. Maybe he was improving. I always knew he didn't need me to do it.

He hugged me back and I felt him take in a breath. He pulled away and smiled. I opened the door and when I looked back I saw only the heel of his shoe disappearing around the corner.

Dimitri was not in our room. I picked up the phone in our room and dialed his cell phone number. He answered on the other end. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Well, hello." He sounded sensual. "Are you ready?"

I laughed and answered sensually back, "What do you mean?"

"I left your outfit on the bed with a list of instructions to follow. See you in an hour."

"But…" the line went dead. He had hung up on me. I walked over to the bed. A gorgeous red dress laid out on it. It was a halter with black glitter that ran from the shoulder down to my feet in a curve. It looked like it would hug every curve of my body. I picked up the piece of paper that lay beside it. Inside was written:

"_Hello Roza,_

_I hope the dress is to your liking. Make yourself up and come straight over to the runway. I have quite a surprise for you. I love you._

_Dimitri"_

I dressed myself and did my makeup. It felt good getting pretty. I hadn't worn makeup in a while and it was always nice to experience it. I looked at my face in the mirror and pulled my hair up. I decided it was best left loose. That's the way Dimitri liked it. I was starting to add accessories when Lissa walked in.

She walked over to me. "Hey, Adrian told me you and Dimitri had something big planned."

I smiled. "No, he has something planned for us." I picked up an earring to see how it would look with the dress. "I have no idea what we are doing but it has to do with something romantic. I mean just look at the dress he left for me to wear."

She giggled and began hopping up and down. "I'm so excited for you!" She wrapped her arms around my neck. "Oh, this is so great! I love seeing you in love."

I hugged her arms. "Thanks, Liss." I stood and spun around to face her. "Did Christian go to spend some time with you?"

"Yes, he did." She pointed behind her. "He's in our room making dinner."

My stomach growled. Speaking of food, I was so hungry. I patted my stomach. "Man, I am starving. I hope he's taking us somewhere to eat."

She laughed at the comment. "Christian's making meatloaf."

"Ah. Christian's meatloaf? Wrapped in bacon?" That made my stomach growl again. It had been a while since I lasted tasted his cooking and his meatloaf was excellent.

She looked at sympathetically, "Yea, and he made some side dishes too. We're just waiting for the meatloaf to finish and…"

Christian walked in. "The food's ready." He looked me over. "Wow, Rose. Who would have guessed underneath that entire bad ass exterior you were this pretty."

Lissa elbowed him. "Of course she's pretty. She's beautiful. But…"

I touched my dress and checked myself. "But what?" I was a bit worried about the 'but'. That meant something was wrong or possibly missing.

She gave me a signal which obviously told me to wait where I was. "I'll be right back."

She left the room faster than I had ever seen her move. I looked at Christian and all he did was shrug. "Don't look at me. I have no idea what she's up to."

She came back in and wrapped a silver necklace around my neck. It had a rose with a small red ruby in the center and two teardrop shaped emeralds on the leaves. It was breathtaking. "That is for you."

I touched it gingerly. It was small and it sat perfectly on my skin. The silver was still cool. "Liss, I can't take it."

She shook her head. "Yes, you can. Consider it an early wedding gift."

Christian hugged her from behind. "That's gorgeous, Rose. It suits you."

I smiled at my friends and turned to see the outcome. My reflection was a stranger to me. I really did look beautiful. I hardly knew the face looking back at me. I touched my cheek and smiled. "Thank you." I turned and hugged Lissa. "You're such a great friend."

She started to tear up and Christian broke the silence. His voice sounded like he was really about to cry, "Our little girl is all grown up." He kissed Lissa's forehead and squeezed her. We all laugh out. He really knew how to kill the moment.

We hugged and said our goodbyes. I walked alone to the runway and spotted Dimitri by a small jet. He was dressed in a white long sleeve button up shirt and black slacks. His hair was loose and he looked simply godlike. When he saw me approaching his jaw dropped. His eyes ran from my head to my toes. I could tell he was impressed. "See something you like?"

He smiled, "I see plenty." He stuck out his hand and led me onto the jet.

I took a seat in a row by a small table. "So what's the plan, comrade?"

He laughed lightly, "I cannot tell you where we are going but I can tell you that we get a meal."

He probably saw the relief written all over my face. "Thank you."

The pilot turned back to us. "We will be stopping to refuel half way but then we will be on our way."

Dimitri waved over to him, "That's fine."

He looked back at me and smiled. "So we are going somewhere far enough that we'd have to refuel?"

He shrugged, "That's what the captain said."

A few moments later a stewardess walked up to us and placed two plates of food down. It had grilled chicken topped with diced tomatoes, three strips of bacon, and cheese. The sides were a pile of mashed potatoes smothered in white gravy and what looked like bacon bits, and steamed vegetables. It looked delicious.

Dimitri unfolded his napkin and tucked a corner into his shirt. He looked graceful, like he'd done this before. I just dropped my napkin on my lap and picked up my utensils to dig in. The first bite was divine. It was like every taste bud in my mouth was being pleasured. He entwined his fingers together and propped his chin on them. "Do you like it?"

I nodded enthusiastically, "It's delicious." I pointed at his plate. "You should try it."

He laughed. "I helped make it."

I nearly choked on my food. "You _made_ this?"

"I helped." He picked up his utensils and began eating as if he never said a word.

I looked down at my food with a new appreciation. "You're good."

He laughed and swallowed his food before speaking again. "Thank you. My mother was the one who taught me to cook."

"She told me she taught you to make bread", I pointed out. "She never said anything about food to this extent."

He stopped eating and looked at me with a puzzled expression. "_My_ mother told you she taught me to bake?"

I looked back at him, "Yea. Remember? I told you I made a visit to your house when I went to find you. I heard plenty of stories about you."

He propped his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands. "What did she tell you?"

"Just a few things. Like that she made you learn to bake because you ate that bread like nothing. How you were as a child. I even got to see some pictures." I smiled sweetly recalling how his nephew resembled him. "You were a cute kid."

He blushed a little and ran his fingers through his hair. "I can't believe you only met her for a few days and she revealed so much." He let out a laugh that made me smile.

"Well, they all knew right off that we were 'involved'." I stopped eating too and stared into his dreamy eyes. "They treated me like your widow."

He flinched a little and I wondered if it hurt him that they all thought of him as dead when he was Strigoi. "My mother is pretty good at sensing things. I'm guessing grandmother didn't go easy on you though."

I forced a laugh, "Oh, funny!" He laughed at my reaction. "She is the toughest old lady I will _ever _meet in my entire life."

"I know, trust me." He leaned back in his seat. "I grew up with that lady." He looked like he was thinking about his childhood back home. "She never let anyone take the easy route. You learned the hard way because it was the right way."

This sent us both laughing. It was moments like these that made me feel like I was truly a part of Dimitri's life. I loved learning new things about him and hearing stories about his family and home. It was like discovering a piece of the puzzle that made Dimitri who he is. "You know, you're nephew looks like you."

He smiled and tried to make a mental picture. "I cannot wait to see them all. I bet he's a handful if he's anything like me."

"He's going to be a lady killer. He's too cute." I grabbed Dimitri's hands. "He was my little translator when Yeva acted like she didn't know English!"

He squeezed my hands and laughed. "I'm sorry if she was really tough on you."

I shrugged. "I can handle it." I stood and moved over to join Dimitri on his seat. "She introduced me to some people that helped me bring you back."

His smile dropped a little. "Wow. I had no idea."

"Yea, it was a couple. A dhampir man and his Moroi wife. She's a spirit user."

His expression showed shock. "That's amazing and very rare."

"I know." I leaned against his body and rested my head on his shoulder. "They are good people." I let out a yawn. "He's shadow-kissed. They are connected."

He stroked my cheek. "My grandmother is full of surprises."

"And, well, Viktoria's mad at me."

He looked down at me concerned. "Why would she be mad at you? What happened?"

I wasn't sure I wanted to tell him. But I thought I might as well be honest. He was going to find out eventually. "Because she was about to make a huge mistake with some scumbag and I got Abe to assist me in stopping her."

He grabbed my shoulders and sat me up. "She was going to do what?"

I cupped his face in my hands. "Don't worry, nothing happened. And that's why she got mad. She said they were in love and that I didn't know what love was. That I probably didn't love you."

He hugged me to his chest. "Thank you for stopping her. We can explain everything once we see them."

I clung to his body. "I tried to tell her I was sorry but she wouldn't speak to me. I still feel bad but that guy," I shuddered. "He was some jerk just looking for some young girl to manipulate. He even tried to hit on me!"

Dimitri laughed, "Bad move."

I thought about it and laughed. "Yup. You'd think he was asking to get my foot in his mouth."

He let out a laugh. I started dozing off on his chest. His grip on me tightened. He kissed my head. "You can take a nap. I'll wake you when we get there."

"But I'm not tired." I whined. I didn't want to sleep. If I stayed awake I would see where we were when we stopped to refuel. It'd give me a hint as to our final destination.

He stroked my hair and ran his fingers up and down my shoulder. "Just sleep, Roza."

I decided to shut my eyes for a moment and the next thing I knew I was fast asleep. I fell into the simple darkness. No dreams or visits from anyone. Just peaceful black sheets surrounding me.

When I woke Dimitri was nudging my shoulder. "Rose, we're here."

I sat up too fast. My head got really light and my body still felt pretty wobbly. I fell back into my seat and grabbed my head, "Oh, bad idea."

He gave me a worried look, "Ghosts?"

"What? No." I shook my head and let out a laugh. "I got up too fast."

He sighed with relief. "I just thought that… I don't know."

I held his hands to comfort him. I pointed to my head, "Not shadow kissed anymore, remember? It was part of the perks."

"I remember. You sent your ghost buddies after me when, well".

"When you were that other guy."

He nodded. "Yea."

I stood up and walked over to a window, "Where are we anyways?" I just wanted to change the subject.

Dimitri grabbed my hands and pulled me back to him, "No peeking."

"What?" I whined. "I've been waiting for this for… for… well I don't really know how long because I fell asleep but I'm pretty sure it's been quite some time."

He laughed and ran his fingers through my hair. "Yes, you've been waiting a while now but we're still not there."

He walked over to a bag and pulled out a cloth. I shook my head, "No, no, no! You're not going to blind fold me."

He shrugged. "Then we can go back home and forget the surprise."

I crossed my arms. "You wouldn't do that."

He raised his eyebrows, "You really want to test me?"

I stomped my foot. "Ugh! Fine. But you take this thing off as_ soon_ as we get there. Understood?"

He just covered my eyes and tied the cloth. "Stop complaining. You're going to love this."

The world was dark as he led me down the steps off the plane. When I reached the ground he led me to a car. He helped me take my seat, buckled me in, and closed the door. I heard the vehicle start and began to move. "How long until we get there?"

I heard him sigh heavily. He was sitting beside me which meant that someone else was driving or I was in the passenger seat. "Will you stop already? You're going to ruin the surprise."

I laid my hands on my lap and started fiddling with my fingers. I hated not knowing what was going on. And if he wasn't letting me see the scenery maybe it was somewhere I had already been. I started getting excited.

Hours seemed to pass when the car stopped. "Are we there?"

I heard a door open and close and then my door opened. A hand grabbed me by my arm and helped me up. It was Dimitri. I could tell by the feeling I got from the touch. I didn't need eyes to feel that connection. "We are here."

We took a few steps and then he stopped me. His rested his hands on my waist and held me sturdily. "Can I take the blind fold off now?"

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" His voice sounded anxious. I could tell he was excited too by his tone.

"Yes, yes. I am so ready!" He pulled the blind fold off and I couldn't believe my eyes. Siberia lay before me. And not just any part of Siberia, we were in Baia.

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	5. Chapter 5

I couldn't believe he had brought me to his hometown as the surprise. What was he thinking? I felt so unprepared and shocked. I really had nothing to say. It left me speechless. I looked over to Dimitri in the driver's seat. His face held a drop dead smile. He was truly happy to be here and it filled me with joy to see this side of him. It brought a smile to my face. I reached over and placed my hand on his. "This was a great surprise."

He sent me a quick glance. "I'm glad you like it. I had a feeling you would."

I sank into my seat. "I love it but we are so unprepared," I gestured to my dress. I wasn't dressed for a casual visit to my fiancé's house. "I feel a bit overdressed."

He laughed. "Our bags are in the trunk."

"How long are we staying here exactly?"

He shrugged, "Just today and tomorrow. But I brought enough clothes for you to rummage through and pick out of."

I shook my head, "I can't. You know I can't." I covered my face from fear of the disappointment showing on my face. "I have to go back to school tomorrow with Lissa."

"No." He still held that gorgeous smile.

"No?"

"No."

"What exactly do you mean by 'no'?" I was so lost right now. What had he done?

He looked me over. "Lissa isn't going back until Tuesday. She's got a sick day."

I slapped my hand to my forehead. "Lissa knew about this?"

"No."

"No? How many times will I get that for an answer?"

He laughed out. "I didn't let her know until we were in the air. She seemed pretty happy to get an extra day with Christian."

"So it wasn't just a surprise for me?"

He shrugged, "I needed to give Lissa a surprise too. She's my girlfriend's best friend. Not to mention, the person who helped bring me back to you." He kissed my hand.

This was amazing. He really was perfect. "You are just too much, you know that?"

We pulled over right in front of the house. It looked the way I last saw it. I suddenly got flashes of the get together we had to mourn Dimitri's 'death'. It had been quite some time now and I tried to remember if someone had informed his family that he was alive and well once he was brought back. I looked at his face. His expression showed he was anxious. He squeezed my hand. "Are you ready?"

He started getting out of the car when I grabbed his arm. "Wait." I had to be sure. "Has anyone told them that you're…" I had to say this right, "that you're _alive_?"

He slumped back into his seat and raked his hand through his hair. "I…I don't even know. I figured that _someone_ would have told them. But now I'm not too sure."

I gently touched his arm. "Maybe I should talk to them first and let them know."

He put both hands on the steering wheel and began to ring it. "I guess I have to wait in here, huh?"

I turned him to face me. "Just for a moment. I'll signal you in once I've cleared things out."

He smiled slightly, "Alright."

I slowly got out and walked up to the door. I felt like I was shrinking from being under so much pressure. I lifted my hand and knocked. If I had an audience they would be holding their breaths. A familiar face answered the door. It was Yeva. "I was expecting you." She had a clever smile.

"I came to…"

"You came to bring him back to us." She looked past me at the car. Dimitri stepped out of the car and smiled at her. She shifted her gaze back to me. "Well, what are you waiting for? We've been waiting."

I was speechless. I should have known she would have sensed this. She knew I'd find him and somehow manage to save him. She even somehow knew that'd we'd come here together. "Okay." I turned and walked back over to Dimitri. I stopped beside him, "She, um, kind of already knew."

He smiled. "I figured she might have guessed it." He closed the door and took my hand as we walked up to the door.

Yeva opened her arms for him and he gladly embraced her. He had to lean down to hug her but it was a beautiful sight. She looked relieved to have him back. Once they released she cupped his face and spoke in Russian in hushed tones. I wish I understood and had the patience to learn it more. I hardly knew a few words.

He laughed lightly and stood up straight. He looked at me and signaled me over to them. He wrapped one arm around me and pulled me to his side. He said something to her I didn't quite understand. Yeva let out a laugh and hugged us to her. She said a phrase that sounded similar to Dimitri's.

I looked at him with a questioning expression. "I told her that we are getting married."

"And what did she say?"

"We're basically already married." He laughed a bit at this which just made me smile.

She turned and started walking into the living room area. Olena and Sonya were sitting around on the couch and Karolina held Zoya on her lap. Paul was sitting on the floor with Viktoria playing with some toy cars. He lost a grip on one and it went rolling into Dimitri's foot. All eyes flew up to him. I could see the shock and confusion all over their faces.

Paul jumped up from his spot and ran up to Dimitri and hugged his leg. "Uncle Dimka!"

Viktoria reached for him and was about to pull him away when she froze. She stood up and examined him. She looked skeptical. Her gaze never left his face. "How did you…" She shot a quick glance at me before looking back at him.

Olena got up from her seat and rushed into his arms. "My son is home!"

He held her to him and my heart ached for them all. It was a touching reunion. I felt like it should have been a private moment and I was intruding. He stroked her hair. "I'm so sorry." His words were nearly a whisper.

She pulled back and cupped his face, "You have no reason to be sorry." Tears ran down her face and I felt a knot form in my throat. She looked over at me and grabbed my arm. I was yanked over to her and she embraced me. "I cannot thank you enough. You gave me my son back."

I hugged her to me. It felt nice to be loved like this. I truly felt like they were including me as a part of their family. I looked up to Dimitri. He had a huge smile across his face. I let out a soft laugh and realized I had tears on my face. "I was glad to have done it."

She finally released me and took our hands. "This is a miracle. An honest to God miracle."

Karolina brought Zoya over to him. "This is your niece, Zoya." The baby reached for him. He laughed and took her.

"She's beautiful." He picked her up into the air and she let out little squeals and giggles. He brought her back down to his arms. "Just like her mother."

Karolina hugged him. He was still much taller than everyone but he managed to look graceful as he took in all their hugs and kisses. The welcoming party was overwhelming. Sonya had made her way to him and hugged his waist. "I can hardly believe this. It's like a dream."

He laughed. "I hope not." She nudged his arm and laughed.

"Uncle Dimka." Paul was pulling at his pant leg. "Where have you been?" He held up all ten fingers. "I'm already this old and not even a late gift?"

This sent us all laughing. Dimitri leaned down to meet his eye level. "I will most definitely make up for it."

Paul stuck out his hand, "Can we shake on it?"

Dimitri smiled and took the young boy's hand. "Yes, we can." The boys hand was dwarfed in Dimitri's hand. It was an adorable scene.

The last to approach us was Viktoria. She was still a little hesitant. He stepped towards her. "Viktoria. My baby sister."

She stood her ground. "I'm not a baby."

He smiled. "I know, I know." He gestured to her. "You've grown up."

She took him in from head to toe and decided to take another step closer. "I don't understand." She looked at me, "What happened?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story."

Olena looped her arm with mine. "We have plenty of time to hear it."

We all took our seats in the living room as Dimitri and I shared the things that had occurred. They all shared in our pain and joy; our love and lost; and finally, when all was said and done, they heard our love story.

Sonya spoke first, "I cannot believe you have been through so much."

Karolina added, "I can't believe you went through so much for my brother." She elbowed his side. "I suggest you hold on to her."

He smiled at me, "I plan to." He shifted to her, "I've asked her to marry me."

They all shot up and started giving their blessings and congratulations. Viktoria stayed planted on her seat and kept her eyes on him. He noticed as well and smiled at her. She still just looked puzzled. She finally rose from her seat and walked out.

Olena grabbed his hands, "She's just confused, that's all. She'll come around."

He gave her an assuring smile but I saw his doubt. He was hurt but he didn't blame her for not automatically accepting what was going on. It was a big change all of a sudden.

I got up from my seat, "I'll be right back." I touched Dimitri's shoulder as I passed. He touched my fingers. "Don't worry. She still loves you."

He smiled. "I know. It's just going to take some time to get use to."

I walked out and found Viktoria sitting on the curb. I sat beside her. "Hey."

She kept her focus on something ahead. "Hey."

I cleared my throat. "I never got to tell you I was sorry," I sighed. "I didn't mean to ruin your night but that guy…"

She shook her head, "Don't worry about it." She kicked a pebble that sat in front of her foot. "It turns out he really was the scum you suspected him to be."

"I'm so sorry. I know you really cared about him." I put my hand on her's and she squeezed my fingers slightly.

"Thank you." She closed her eyes and turned her head away from me. "For everything." She stood up and started to walk down the street.

I quickly followed her. "Wait! Please."

She stopped abruptly where she stood. She tossed her hair back off her shoulders. "Rose, I still don't fully understand how you did it but I owe you an apology."

I stopped just behind her. "For what?"

She sighed heavily, "For telling you I didn't think you really loved my brother. I was just angry because… well, because I couldn't have that." She turned to face me and her face held that stone guardian look that Dimitri was so good at.

"You don't have to. I know that you were just upset. I was more worried about you being mad at me." I half laughed and she slightly smiled.

She clasped one hand on the back of her neck. "I'm not."

I stood beside her and stuck out my arm for her to take. "Come back with me to the house. Dimitri has been dying to see you."

She shook her head, "I can't." Her voice was barely audible.

"What's wrong?"

She covered her face. "I'm… I'm still kind of scared."

I touched her shoulder. "What are you afraid of?"

"What if he doesn't like me? I haven't seen him in a long time and I'm sure you told him about our little spat. What will he think of me?"

I felt a little guilty on my part but Dimitri wasn't the kind to judge someone too harshly. I smiled at her, "I told him that it was a misunderstanding and that you didn't do anything wrong. You're his sister. He will love you no matter what."

She gave me an unsure look, "Are you just saying that so I can go back to the house with you?"

I laughed. "Do you really think I'd lie to you after just making amends?"

She laughed lightly. "No, I guess not." She looped her arm with mine. "You haven't misled me yet."

We walked back to the house and only the children were still sitting around the living room. Dimitri's grandmother was chastening him for putting himself in danger to begin with and having his poor wife chase him down and save him. Olena and the girls were in the kitchen making dinner. It felt like a real home.

Dimitri stood on our arrival and I walked over and hugged him. I tiptoed and he leaned forward. I whispered in his ear, "She nervous."

He stroked my cheek. "Thank you."

I felt my face flush and I turned to Viktoria. She was still standing in the door way. I signaled her over to us. She hesitated but then walked over. She kept her eyes on him. She reached forward and placed a hand on his face. He smiled at her. "Dimitri?"

His hand gently touched her's. "Viktoria."

She burst into tears and wrapped her arms around his waist. His arms encircled her and they just held each other. No words were needed to convey what one wanted to tell the other. It was an unspoken acceptance. I looked away. I felt like they needed this private moment to themselves.

Dimitri grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. I was still in disbelief. Was this really happening or was I still asleep back on the plane? I shut my eyes tightly and pinched myself. When I opened my eyes I was still in Dimitri's arms at his home. I was extremely relieved to find that this was reality. I wrapped my arms around his waist.

Yeva came back into the living room and took a seat on the couch I decided to join her. I sat beside her, "Are you going to pretend like you don't know English right now or are we actually going to have a conversation?"

She grinned mischievously. "I'd prefer it if you learned some Russian so we could speak in my tongue instead." Then she mumbled something in Russian.

I sighed, "I'm actually trying to, you know? It's harder than I thought it was going to be."

She laughed, "And you think that English was a joy to learn for me?"

She definitely had a point. "I see what you mean."

She laughed and it wasn't the cackling laugh I had half expected from her. It was loud and full of life. I would have thought to hear it from a much younger woman.

I let out a laugh and shook my head. "You are something else."

"I'd like to think so."

I looked around the room. The scenery hadn't changed a bit since the last time I was here. The books still held their places and the pictures were in their same spots. I looked over to Yeva. There had been something I wanted to tell her. "How are Oksana and Mark?"

Her face still held its smile. "They are alive and well. They have asked about you plenty."

"Really? Wow."

"Did you think once you were gone they would just forget you?"

I shrugged, "I really didn't know what to expect." I ran my fingers through the tips of my hair. "I wanted to express my gratitude to them for helping me save Dimitri."

She shook her head, "They gave you hope and you carried the mission out."

"But still, they were the ones who told me about the myth. Even if they didn't really think it would work." I paused. "Do they know he's back?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. I didn't tell anyone. They'd think I was crazy."

I laughed at the comment. How did people not think that she was crazy even without that information? She was a 'witch' of some sort that would sense people and events that are to come. Maybe not in full detail but that was still pretty impressive. "Of course."

Dimitri joined us on the couch. "How are you two getting along over here?"

Yeva stood up. "Вы должны научить вашу жену Россию!" And then walked into the kitchen.

I looked at him, "What did she say?"

He laughed, "This whole time, how did you communicate?"

I shrugged, "She spoke English, why?"

He shook his head but still held a smile, "She says that you need to learn Russian."

I threw my head back and laugh, "Oh my God. Are you kidding me?"

"I'm serious, that's what she said."

"I already told her I was making an effort to learn."

"I think she just doesn't like to speak in a foreign language."

"It's English. Name one country that doesn't use it."

This made him laugh, "Not everyone knows English, Rose."

"I know but most learn at least some of it."

He gave me a puzzled look, "And are you really trying to learn Russian?"

"I am. I know a few words and phrases but I'm no expert."

He hugged me to him and we leaned back on the couch together. He sighed and I followed his breathing. I felt his fingers run through my hair. "They really love you."

"I really care about them." I twisted my body so I could look at his face. "They make me feel like I'm part of your family."

He stroked my cheek with the back of his fingers, "You sort of already are."

Our lips met and I savored it. "How'd your talk with Viktoria go?"

"It went well. She said that she likes spending time with you."

I laughed, "Thank goodness."

"She said you both had a talk about things that happened and made amends."

"Yup. It was short and sweet."

He tilted my head to look up into his eyes. "You have a way with people, Roza."

"I think your family likes me so much because you love me."

"I think they love you because they see the way you love me. They can see that you're a good person and you have a good heart."

Adrian's voice echoed through my mind_, Take my word for it, you're not a bad person. _I smiled to myself. I reached up and touched the scars beneath my dress. They had healed thick and I could still feel the spots where the bullets had hit. He noticed and covered my hand with his. "Dimitri?"

"Hmm?" He held my hands in his now and ran his fingers against mine.

"Do you truly believe I am a good person?"

He smiled at me, "Of course. You always do what's right." The words were serious and I could tell that he was trying to convince me. He didn't like to hear me doubt myself. "You are a beautiful person inside and out." He pressed his lips to my forehead.

"How did I end up with a guy like you?"

He laughed, "Just lucky I guess."

Olena walked in, "Dinner is ready." She smiled at us and we quickly stood up. "I made some black bread to go with the pasta."

"Yum." My stomach growled loudly. I smile shyly and covered my stomach with my arms. "That sounds delicious. I'm starving."

Olena grabbed my hand and started leading me to the dining area. "Dimitri, why haven't you fed her?"

He sighed, "I did." He laughed. "She's just got a big appetite."

"He made us a wonderful meal on the trip over here. It's just been a few hours since I got anything in me."

Olena smile at me. "No worries, we've got plenty of food in this house. Dimitri was always a big eater himself and I just got so use to keeping stock on everything."

Dimitri wrapped his arms around his mothers shoulders, "You sure like to share a lot about me with Rose."

She laughed, "Of course. She's going to be your wife. She should know everything about you."

Karolina spoke up, "Trust me, you'll want to hear some of the stories we have to tell you."

I looked over at a blushing Dimitri. "I'm sure I will."

He shook his head, "Maybe it wasn't the best idea to bring her here."

Viktoria laughed and gestured to him, "I can't believe my eyes. Are you actually _shy_?"

"Oh my gosh, he's blushing. You were never embarrassed to let us dress you up," Sonya threw in.

Olena started laughing, "I remember that." She turned and cupped his face in her hands, "You were the cutest little boy."

He shot his eyes up to meet my gaze. This was so much fun. I had never seen him in this type of environment. It was revealing and it was breaking down all the walls that he had built to keep others out. I was being given the privilege to see it all first hand.

Yeva sat up and yelled to Olena, "Что ты говоришь? Пол выглядит так же, как он. Можно подумать, это был его сын!"

I had no idea what was going on but Olena tsked her and replied, "Мать, не грубить. Мы вряд ли получить к нему и вы не можете ждать, чтобы дать одной из ваших остроумных комментариев."

I looked over to Dimitri who seemed to be caught in the crossfire. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "My grandmother says that Paul looks just like me. So much that he could be mistaken for my son." He laughed a little. "And my mother told her to stop being rude because they hardly see me as it is."

I looked back at them and Olena just smiled at me, "Don't mind her. She just likes to throw in her two cents."

I waved off the comment. "It's not like I can understand it anyways."

Viktoria snickered. "Would you like me to translate?"

"No!", nearly everyone else at the table answered in unison.

I couldn't help but laugh, "No, thank you Viktoria."

She just shrugged, "Your loss."

Olena chastened her, "Виктория, ваш ум манеры!"

She gestured at me, "Она не из стекла, мать."

Sonya tapped the table with her knuckles, "Enough. We have a guest." She smiled to me, "I'm sorry, Roza."

"It's fine. I find it entertaining."

Dimitri laughed, "Yet you have no idea what they are saying."

I shrugged. "I'm sure it's of no offense to me. I don't want you all to feel like you cannot speak Russian just because I'm here."

Yeva laughed, "See? We have the go ahead to do so."

Olena shot her a glare, "Mother, please."

She just waved her away. "I am an old woman, I will do as I please."

I looked over to Karolina, "So what stories did you want to share with me about Dimka?"

Everyone joined in. The dinner table was filled with tales of Dimitri that I never would have guessed. Some were hilarious while others were sad. Olena even brought up the story about when Dimitri beat up his father. He had always been a protector as both a son and a guardian. He joined in and helped to 'correct' some details in their stories.

When dinner was over Dimitri and I stayed behind to help his mother clear the table and wash the dishes. Olena tried to run us off, "No, go enjoy yourselves. I can take care of the rest."

I shook my head, "We want to help. I don't want to leave this big mess all to you."

Dimitri walked by and took a dirty plate out of his mother's hands. "We can take care of this. You go relax. You need a break."

She cupped his face, "You've always been such a good boy and now you've grown into a wonderful man." She patted his cheek. "I missed you, Dimka."

He smiled sweetly and held her hand to his cheek, "I missed you too, мать".

She gave him one last look and then disappeared around the corner. I watched him as he piled the plates into the sink. I walked over to him. "You looked pretty good in an apron."

He bumped me, "Don't act like you're not impressed."

"Oh, I'm impressed alright." I flicked some suds at him and he laughed.

It only took about half an hour to wash, dry, and put away the dishes. It was a new and fun experience to share with Dimitri. I was seeing a whole new side of him. We started up to our room and stopped only to say good night to Olena and Yeva. Everyone else was either gone or already asleep. We got to the room I had been given when I last stayed here. The bed was neatly made and the room smelled fresh. I laid my body out on the bed.

"Sleep, I need sleep."

Dimitri lay beside me, "Did you enjoy dinner?"

I turned to look at him, "It was amazing. I can see where you get your cooking skills from." I traced my finger on his jaw line.

He reached out and ran his fingers through my hair. "I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

I slid myself closer to him and gently kissed his lips. He was full of warmth and I felt him wrap his arms around my body and pull me to him. Our lips parted and it was bittersweet. I remembered one of the Russian phrases I had learned, "Я люблю тебя, Дмитрий."

He traced my lips with the tip of his finger. "I love you too, Roza."

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	6. Chapter 6

I woke up alone in bed with the smell of food in the air. I tumbled out of bed and stretched. The door was slightly open. I looked around the room. Dimitri was nowhere to be found. I walked up to the mirror that hung on the wall. My hair was a jumbled mess sitting on the top of my head. Great, perfect time to be brushless. I started running my fingers through it getting bits and pieces to smooth together. I guess this would have to do. I rummaged through my bag that Dimitri had packed for me. Thank goodness he had the sense to pack some jeans and t-shirts. I would have felt out of sorts in a dress. I also found my tennis shoes buried at the bottom. He knew me all too well.

I started making my way down stairs when Viktoria appeared at the bottom. "Good morning." She smiled sweetly. "I was just on my way to your room to get you. Breakfast is ready."

"Awesome. I knew I smelled something good." I touched my stomach and felt the emptiness that had formed over night. I guess I really did have a big appetite. I thought it was just temporary due to me growing but I guess it was more permanent than I had expected. I walked into the dining area and people were already sitting at the table. Yeva, Dimitri, and Paul had already taken their seats.

Olena walked in and started serving everyone. "Good morning, Rose." She smiled, "Take a seat. I made blini."

I walked over to sit beside Dimitri, "That sounds great. Thank you."

Viktoria sat down, "When we're done do want to come with me shopping?"

I looked around and rested my gaze on her. "I don't know if I can. We have to leave today so…"

"She can go," Dimitri started cutting into his blini. "We have plenty of time before we have to go. Have fun. Viktoria needs a shopping buddy."

Viktoria smiled widely at him, "Yay! I can't wait."

I looked over at him, "Me neither." I was really hoping to get to spend more time with him but I guess a couple of hours shopping with his sister wasn't such a bad idea. The last time I went shopping we were attacked by Strigoi. God only knew I needed a _real_ day of shopping and relaxation.

The food was delicious. Olena had topped it with fresh fruit. I swallowed them down almost as quickly as she served them. Yeva chastened me, "Не ешьте так быстро. Вы будете душить!"

I glanced at everyone. Viktoria noticed, "She says not to eat so fast because you'll choke."

Dimitri smiled, "She's had plenty of practice."

I sent him a glare. "I am just a quick eater. I tend to have to always be in a hurry. You know, being a guardian for the queen and all." I stabbed my fork into the last piece of strawberry sitting on my plate.

Viktoria stood up, "Все сделано. Мы уходим сейчас, мама." She kissed her mother on the cheek. "We won't be long." She walked over and pulled me from my seat. "Let's go."

I shot a glance at Dimitri who was just sitting back in his chair with an amused expression on his face. He smiled, "I'll see you when you get back."

I barely had time to wave.

We were out the door and walking down the street. "So what's the plan?"

"I was thinking we could go shopping for clothes and then maybe catch a movie before heading back." She stuck her hands into her pockets and pulled out a few bills. "I have just enough to buy a few new bottoms and maybe two or three tops."

She sure was eager, "Cool. What's showing at the movies?"

"There are two," she stuck up her pointer and middle finger. She touched the tip of one, "I know there's a lovey-dovey movie called Поцелуй меня сейчас, но любить меня вечно," she spoke the title dramatically and laughed. "It sounds really corny in English."

"What's it mean?" I was very interested in learning this language.

She gestured dramatically and pretended to passionately embrace the air, "Kiss Me Now But Love Me Forever." She made a kissy face and laughed.

"Totally corny." I couldn't help but laugh at her act. "What's our second option? "

She pointed her fingers at me and made a shooting motion. "It's an action film called Убей меня, если сможешь!" She started making shooting noises.

I laughed, "What?"

She laughed and patted my back, "It's suppose to be really good. It's Kill Me If You Can."

"That sounds like there's some action in it." I looked up at the sky. I hadn't gone to see a movie in what seemed like forever. The last time I could remember was back when Lissa and I had escaped from St. Vlad's. "So, which one are you up for?"

She shrugged, "Option two alright?"

"Sounds good to me. You'll just end up having to translate most of it for me though."

"These movies don't even need words. You can tell what they mean just by the looks on their faces." She stopped suddenly. "Rose…"

I stopped beside her. "What's going on?" I kept my voice low.

She grabbed my wrist, "Did you see that?"

I looked to the spot her eyes were so intensely focused on. There was a shadow creeping behind the bus benches. I walked slowly up to it, "Hey, can I help you with something?"

It was a young boy who looked to be about 17 years old. His hair was a golden brown and his eyes were as green as newly grown grass. He smiled shyly at us. "I was just waiting for the bus."

"Then why are you sneaking around?"

He looked to the ground. "I don't like being around others. I like my privacy."

Viktoria stepped up, "I know you. You go to my school."

He flinched a little, "I know."

She snapped her fingers, "You're Alek, right?"

He nodded, "Yea, and you're Viktoria. We have History together."

I looked between the two. They were total opposites. On a difference scale of one through ten Alek would be on one and Viktoria would be on ten. "Sorry, it just looked like you were trying to sneak up."

He shook his head. "No, just keeping my distance."

The bus pulled up just in time to kill the awkward scene. We all boarded. He sat in the way back while Viktoria and I sat towards the front. "He's a little anti-social."

She shrugged. "He's like that at school too. He doesn't really have too many friends. He just keeps to himself."

I couldn't help but wonder why. We didn't really have any outcasts at St. Vlad's except maybe for Christian. His problem came from everyone else though. He didn't really choose to be the outcast. "Do you know anything about him?"

She shrugged, "Not really. His parents were murdered when he was just 10 or something and now he lives with his grandparents. They are friends of my grandmother's."

The bus stopped and the three of us plus a few others stepped off. He walked in the opposite direction as we made our way down the sidewalk to the clothing stores.

The first store we entered had that beautiful onion shape. The clothes inside were clothes that someone would wear to the nightclubs. Viktoria took a top off the rack and held it to her body. "What do you think? Too much?"

It was a spaghetti strap and looked like someone had taken a bejeweled gun and went off on it. "Maybe just a tad."

I started going through and looking at some tops. Some were decent while other looked like they would barely cover even one of my breasts. I grimaced at them. I remembered at one point in my life I use to like skimpy tops. Now I just thought they looked kind of slutty. What could I possibly have been thinking?

Viktoria waved at me from the other side of the aisle. Her hands were full of clothes. I waved back. I guess she wanted my opinion on things.

She stepped into the dressing room and when she emerged she was wearing an off the shoulder maroon top. It had a design of flower petals flowing across her chest. "That's cute."

She looked at her reflection and spun around, "I know, right." She walked back into the tiny room. This time she came out with a top that would make men blush. It was a blue tube top that squeezed at her curves and it revealed her stomach.

I shook my head, "Too much."

She sighed and slumped back in. She stepped out in some jeans. They were super cute. The pockets had heart shaped designs and small silver studs. I nodded and she smiled, "You like?"

"They look really good. I might buy myself a pair."

She laughed, "Okay, just one more thing." She disappeared behind the curtain and the next thing I knew she was standing in a pair of skinny jeans. "What about these?"

They did look good on her but I wasn't sure if her mother would approve. They were skin tight. "I like them but would your mother let you wear those?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "She will if I wear a long shirt." She turned and looked at herself in the mirror. "I'm going to take them."

"It's your money."

She paid and we walked out into the midday air. There was a cool breeze and I let it run through my hair. It felt refreshingly nice and I couldn't help but imagine Dimitri running his fingers through my hair. He had that same gentle touch that the breeze carried. I sighed. I missed him already and it hadn't even been that long since I last saw him.

Viktoria must have noticed that I was spaced out because she tugged at my arm, "Earth to Rose. Are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine." I twisted a strand of my hair on my finger. "Where to now?"

She pointed down the street. There was a huge red and gold sign that read: Кино. "To the movie theatre."

There was hardly anyone here. Most of them were couples making their way to see the romantic movie. There were maybe three other people walking into the same side as us. We took a seat in the middle of the rows. There was mostly silence but the explosions and gunshots from the movie more than made up for it.

I had to admit it was pretty good. There was suspense, danger, and a little romance thrown in. The hero got the girl in the end. We walked our way back to the bus stop. "So what'd you think?"

"You were right. I didn't even need you to translate." I laughed, "It was good."

She shot up, "No, it was awesome." We both laughed. Moments later we noticed Alek approach. He took a seat at the far end of the bench.

"Hello again." I smiled at him. He just kept his eyes on the ground.

He smiled slightly, "Hello."

Viktoria scooted closer to him, "So, what did you do with your day?"

He sent her a side glance, "Not much. Ran some errands."

"Like what?"

He shuffled his feet and looked at his watch, "Wasn't the bus supposed to be here already?"

I looked down the street. The only vehicles that were passing were heading from parking spot to parking spot. There wasn't a bus in sight. "I wonder why it's running late."

He stood up and started walking.

Viktoria called after him, "Where are you going?"

He yelled back over his shoulder, "I'm going to check out the other bus stop. Somebody there knows something."

Viktoria signaled to me, "He's got the right idea. Maybe we should follow suit."

I nodded and followed close behind. I started getting an uneasy feeling half way there. I kept thinking I saw shadows slipping past corners and through alleys. I quickly walked to her side, "We need to get out of this area."

She looked around, "Why? Something wrong?"

"I'm not sure but I've got a bad feeling."

She suddenly grabbed my hand, "Rose, I saw something."

I urged her on, "Just keep walking."

Her hand was a little shaky and I could tell by her unsteady breaths that she was getting nervous, maybe even a little scared. In a split second two figures jumped in front of us. Both were big built men. Their eyes held the red ring and their skin was as white as snow. They were definitely Strigoi. I pushed Viktoria behind me then three more dropped behind us. We were surrounded. I looked at her. I could see the fear written on her face. My heart sank. I wanted to keep her safe. But how could I when we were outnumbered? My heart started pounding and I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my body. I wasn't going down without a fight.

One took a leap at Viktoria and I spun her to my other side and managed to land a solid kick to the side of his face. He stumbled a bit but caught himself. He smiled and wiped his mouth. "You're fast, dhampir."

"You want to try again?" I was daring him. If this went the way I hoped it would I would only have to fight off at least two at a time. They wouldn't expect me to be much of a challenge.

One of the bigger guys stepped forward and pushed my attacker out of the way. I got a bit nervous. This guy was at least three times my size and he didn't look like he could be caught off guard. His face held a scowl but I didn't back away. I wouldn't let them know if I was nervous. That would just add fuel to the fire.

Alek leapt into the chaos. His stance was sturdy and he took the opposite side of me and blocked Viktoria off from the other Strigoi. She grabbed his shoulder, "What are you doing here?"

"It looked like you guys might need some help." He never took his eyes off the enemy. I was starting to like this kid more and more.

She gave him a nudge, "What you should have done was go for help." She was now more agitated then she was scared.

"And leave you two to the wolves? What kind of man would that make me?"

I smiled. I probably would have done the same thing. He was brave. Naïve, but brave. "Thanks."

The big Strigoi laughed out. It was thunderous and it hung in the air long after he stopped. It made me shiver. "You really think that _child_ is going to make much of a difference, Rose?"

I shot him the fiercest glare I could manage, "How do you know my name?"

He gestured around to his fellow Strigoi. "We all know about you and that last little visit you made here. Dimitri, right?"

I flinched a little, "What about him?

"That's the guy you were looking for last time I heard. You gave some trouble to our friends." He bowed his head. "An eye for an eye, dhampir."

He charged at me, I braced myself but the impact sent me flying into the side of the building. I felt the earth tilt and swirl. I saw Viktoria rushing to my side and Alek was already in a brawl with one of the Strigoi. I shot up and ran to his aid. Another joined in. I took out my stake and slid it into his chest. They were inexperienced. It was too easy but I looked back at the guy that hit me. He knew a thing or two about battle. He just stood aside and watched with a smug smile spread on his face.

I shoved the lifeless body off of my stake and made my move on the next. He was a little tougher. He knew to keep his chest in and shield it. But that didn't make up for my speed. I caught him as he lost his footing. He held my wrists and smiled as his life slowly faded from his eyes. I heard a rush of step behind me and took him to the ground with me. The Strigoi jumping for me from behind just nicked me. I felt a quick pain run through my shoulder blade but shrugged it off. No time to sit on injuries. My dying Strigoi's grip slacked and I pulled my stake out of his chest. The other Strigoi was attacking again but didn't get too far. Viktoria jumped on his back and twisted his neck until his face was in the wrong side of his head. He fell to his knees and slumped to the floor. I ran over and plunged my stake into his chest. I examined her. She was a bit shaken but she wasn't hurt.

A hand landed on my shoulder. I spun around and found my stake lined up with Alek's heart. He stepped back, "It's me."

I dropped my hand, "Where are the others?"

"I took out one. I don't know where the big guy went. He just up and …" His gaze shot up and he shoved Viktoria out of the way. The next thing I knew my body was shoved against his and we went flying into the side of a building. My head slammed down and all I heard was a loud overwhelming ringing sound. He shot up pretty quickly and my world started to turn black. The last vision I got was Viktoria's face streaked with tears and her mouth was open like she was screaming. But I couldn't hear a sound. My world turned dark and I hated myself for being so weak.

When I woke up the room I was in was familiar but I just couldn't remember where I had seen it. I could make out many different fragrances and there was a bitter taste of blood in my mouth. I looked around and found Dimitri sitting by me. He quickly stood and came to my side. "How are you feeling?"

I tried to sit up but he forced me back down, "Where am I?"

He smiled a bit, "Alek and Viktoria called grandmother and she brought you to Oksana." He grimaced. "When we got to you… I was afraid I had lost you." He gently caressed my face as if it were so precious to him.

"What…what happened? Are they alright?"

He smiled, "They are fine. Alek's arm was broken but nothing too serious. You got the worst of it."

I touched my head. It was bandaged in gauze. My head was starting to throb, "I have a killer head ache."

"You would. You nearly bled to death from the head injury."

"How bad was it?"

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "Alek said some big Strigoi managed to sneak up on you both and that you got the brunt of the impact. He recovered relatively fast and was able to take down the guy."

I looked down at my hands, "Not without a price."

He shook his head, "I saw the guy. He was pretty big."

"Did we get them all?"

He nodded, "Viktoria said there were five that ambushed you." He smiled. "We found all five bodies."

I relaxed a bit, "Good."

He looked questionably at me, "What happened? Alek said they were after you."

"I'm not sure. The big guy told me that I was well known in their circles and that I had given them trouble. 'An eye for an eye'." I sighed. "Those were his last words." My mind clicked, "They knew your name too."

He laid his forehead on my shoulder and held my hand. "Rose, how does trouble always seem to find you?"

"Just lucky I guess."

He forced a laugh and looked up at me. I could see worry in his eyes. I reached out and touched his face. He took my hand in his, "Everyone's waiting for you to wake up. We've been waiting for two days. Oksana could only do so much."

I smiled, "She did enough. She shouldn't even have used her spirit to heal me."

He shook his head, "She wanted to. She has her charms to help her heal."

"She has Mark," I looked away. I didn't want to be a burden to anyone little lone to the people who have already done so much. I didn't want to bring the darkness down on them. "How's he handling it?"

"Oksana gave him a few charms. He's holding up pretty well." He ran his fingers through my hair.

I scooted over and patted the bed, "Come here."

He laughed, kicked off his shoes, and lay with me. Our bodies were pressed close to each other and I just wrapped my arms around him. A sudden shock of pain ran through me. I pulled away. "Are you alright?" He held my body from him and examined me.

"I don't know. Something hurts."

He frowned. "You had many injuries, Roza." He brushed a strand of hair off my face. "Your head wasn't the only part of you that suffered."

"What else?" I was sort of scared of the answer.

"You had a few broken ribs and one Strigoi managed to put a crack in your shoulder blade." He gently ran his fingers on my bad and indicated where the injury was.

"I remember that one. Their tricky little bastards." I rubbed my shoulder. "Wait, did you say that I've been out for two days?"

He nodded, "Yea, you were unconscious when we found you. You've been out for the past two days."

"So today's Wednesday?"

He nodded and then caught on, "It's the day of Hope's test." He could always read my mind.

I managed to prop myself up. I would just have to try to ignore the pain. "Has anyone told Lissa about this incident?"

"I called her and let her know. She was already getting worried when we didn't show up." He sat up and pulled out his cell phone. "She wanted you to call her when you woke up."

I reached for the phone and just held it in my hands. "I don't know if I should."

He gave me a puzzled look, "Why? What's wrong?"

I looked at him and took his hand in mine, "Lissa's got enough on her plate without having to worry about me. As long as she believes I am recovering, she'll be fine."

"You don't think she'll be worrying about you either way?"

I looked away, "She'll be more worried to find out that I'm not going home just yet."

He turned me to face him, "And why is that?"

I was being swallowed whole by his deep brown eyes. I felt like the weight of the world was being weighed by my next words to him, "Because they aren't going to be the last Strigoi after me. You and I both know that." I shifted my body so my feet were hanging off the bed. "They'll keep coming for me and that means Lissa isn't safe around me."

He shook his head, "They will try to use her as bait for you if they can." He looked at the ground, "That's what I did." His gaze was vacant. He was thinking about his past and it hurt me just to see how it still affected him. I touched his face and he softened.

My memories rushed back to when he had kidnapped Lissa and Christian. He had used them as bait for me. He knew I cared about them enough to risk my own life. Many people knew how protective I was of her. And he was right. People would try to use that against me. I shook my head, "But now she's the queen. And just that fact will make it that much harder to get to her. They won't let her go back to school without a full select group of royal guards." I sighed. "Even if that means I won't be the one protecting her."

He touched my hand and it was suppose to be comforting but to me it felt like he was trying to convince me to change my mind. "She'll need you. She became unstable the last time you two were apart."

"That was last time. We didn't know about the healing charms then. Now she has the knowledge to help herself." I tried to stand on my feet. "She really doesn't need me anymore. There are plenty of others who can replace me."

He grabbed my arm and spun me around. He steadied me as I stumbled to a stop, "Do you really believe that just anyone would throw themselves in danger for her the way you have? The way you still do?"

I nodded slowly. It was hard for me to admit but I had become replaceable. Serena had said so herself. Anyone in our world would give it all up for her. She was our queen now. "I'll recommend Serena. She's really good and she'd do anything for her."

He let me go and started walking away, "So you're just giving up? Just like that?" He straightened up and put on his stone guardian face, "That's not the Rose Hathaway I know."

"I am not giving up! I'm giving her a fighting chance!" I felt my blood boiling. "I don't want to be the one to bring danger to her. I am a danger to her life, Dimitri."

"You are her best friend. You've become a sister to her and now," he hesitated, "now it just seems like you're afraid!"

"Maybe I am." I kept my voice low. "I am afraid that if one day we are somewhere eating, shopping, or even just getting our nails done that they will come for me and Lissa will be put in a situation that will be nearly impossible for me to control."

He wrapped his arms around me and just held me to him. "Then I am staying with you."

I could hear his heart beating beneath his chest. It was heavy and steady. "I couldn't put you in danger. I can't lose you again."

He pulled away just enough to look down at my face, "You never lost me, Roza. I am staying by you no matter what." He brushed a stray strand of hair off my face and tucked it behind my ear. "I will not allow you to fight alone." He buried his face in my hair. "Please let me keep you safe."

I breathed him in. He smelled of fresh soap and aftershave. It was barely a hint but it made me a little giddy. I loved his scent. "Only if you don't die."

He laughed, "Only if you marry me."

I looked up at him, "I already said I would."

He smiled, "I mean officially."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought his lips to mine. It was a passionate and intense kiss. I felt his warmth melt into me. "When and where?"

"We have to go back to Court."

I pulled away, "No." I shook my head. "I already told you…"

"We promised our friends that they would be a part of it." He reached out and grabbed my hand. His touch was so comforting and it built strength in me.

"But she won't let me leave. She'll try to stop me."

He cupped my face, "You can do this. You're strong, Rose. She'll let you go if you ask her."

"Then you don't know Lissa." The last time I had left to go 'save' Dimitri she had made a huge deal about it. She even went as far as to say that I was abandoning her.

"Just let her know that it's just something you have to do." He did a small shrug, "Just leave out the part about hunting down Strigoi."

That made me laugh, "So what do I say I am leaving for?"

"Our honeymoon."

"Did I hear something about a honeymoon?" Oksana stood in the doorway with a bowl in her arms. "You're getting married?"

He looked down at me and I felt his stare burn into my soul. "We are getting married."

"We're getting married."

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	7. Chapter 7

The flight back to Court felt like it took centuries. I wanted to be able to freeze time so that I could think things through but nobody would give me that luxury. Dimitri and I sat silently in each other's presence. I knew he wanted to keep me safe but at the same time I felt he thought I was being reckless. I ran my fingers through the ends of my hair trying to figure out a way to break the silence.

Instead he did, "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

I nodded, "Are you crazy? I've been waiting for you to ask me to marry you since our first kiss."

He shook his head. He mustn't have thought that was as funny as I had hoped. "You know what I meant, Rose."

I looked down and stared at my shoes. They were falling apart from wear and tear. I would need to get a new pair soon. "I know. And it's not that I want to go on some suicide mission of hunting down Strigoi but if I don't go after them they will just keep coming for me."

"So you admit that this is a suicide mission?" His eyebrows rose expectantly.

I threw up my hands in exasperation. "Yes! I mean, the last time I went hunting you down I was pretty unprepared. All I had was the clothes on my back, my trusty stake, and heartache the size of a black hole." I shot my eyes up and saw the sadness on his face, "I… I'm so sorry." I slapped my hand to my face and kept it there. "I feel so stupid. I didn't mean…"

He raised his hand to stop me. I shut up. "It's not a big deal. I get what you mean though." He let out a heavy sigh. "At least this time we will be prepared and you won't be going it alone."

I looked back at him and he seemed to be deep in thought. Probably going through a check list in his head. "So you agree that we cannot tell _anyone_ about this?"

He nodded. "Agreed. It would only cause a commotion."

The plane landed and right as I stood Dimitri was at my side pulling me to him. He just held me there. "Roza." He stroked my hair to its ends. It had grown out pretty long. It now reached down to my lower back. He rested his hand there. "I would do anything to protect you. You are precious to me."

I closed my eyes and tried to capture this moment. I wanted to be able to picture this moment for the rest of my life. I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest. "I know. You are precious to me too."

My comments always seemed to bring a smile to his face. This one barely got a smirk. He pulled away and looked down at me. He tucked back some of his loose strands of hair, "I'm serious. It's hard for me to…" he sighed and gained his control, "It's just hard for me to agree to let you do something so, I don't know, reckless." He smiled fully but it looked a bit nervous, "You scare the hell out of me, you know that."

"I tend to have that affect on people." I smiled back reassuringly. I touched his face and he seemed to relax into the touch. "Don't worry so much. Plus, you'll be there to protect me. You've never let me down."

We walked to the palace and before I could even begin to think about breathing we were standing in front of Lissa's door. I felt my hand rise to knock as if some alien power were controlling my functions. She answered with such haste I wasn't even sure if my knuckles had even made contact. "Rose!" She threw her arms around me and then pulled me away to be examined. "Are you okay? I mean, you're in one piece but anything?"

I suddenly started to feel tingles in my arms of hot and cold where she touched and I pulled away. "Don't do it." She was definitely trying to heal me. "I'm fine. See? Still standing."

She looked a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry but you had me so worried and then you never called me either." She sent an unpleasant glare to Dimitri.

I forced a laugh, "He told me to call you but I was afraid you'd chew my ear off all the back home. I figured you might as well do it in person. How did Hope's test go? Did she pass?"

She clapped her hands happily, "With flying colors. She's staying in the apartments for Guardians. She has two guards with her at all times."

"But she's not considered a threat, is she?"

"It's just as much for her protection as it is for everyone else's comfort."

"As long as she's safe."

"Of course she's safe. She's in my care. I was more worried about you!" She squeezed me to her.

"Please don't. You're hurting my face." I laughed it off and she backed away.

She blushed, "I'm just worried about you."

"Hey, that's my job." Dimitri laughed as he walked in and greeted a silent Christian. I hadn't even noticed he had walked into the room. He looked like he hadn't slept. His yes had dark circles around them and his skin was pale. Maybe he was just sick.

I gestured to him, "Is he alright?"

She looked sympathetically at him, "He's been kind of sick lately. He's already thrown up twice in the past hour and he can't seem to keep any food down."

"Is he pregnant?" I laughed.

He looked at me and smiled amusingly, "I'm pretty sure I would know if I was." He rubbed his stomach. "But I do wish I had some food inside of me."

Dimitri looked concerned, "Have you gone to the med clinic?"

He nodded, "They said they couldn't find a reason. I don't have the flu, no viruses, not even a damn fever. It's just weird."

I thought about Tasha. Maybe all the anxiety from the upcoming execution was starting to get to him. I tried to ease into the subject, "Has anything been bothering you?"

He shrugged, "Not much. Just Lissa's mood swings and Adrian's damn aura readings. He said I looked like shit." He scoffed. "As if I didn't already know."

I was confused, "He said your aura looks like shit?"

Lissa laughed, "I know right. My readings have been kind of scrambled lately. I tried to read his but it looked kind of out of sorts. Like I was looking through beer goggles but I think it's due to all the stress I'm going through. Possibly even because of the charms."

"But don't the charms heal you?"

"Yea, but some also stunt the magic a little so I can't use it so intensely." She laughed, "Courtesy of Ms. Karp. Or should I say Mrs. Mikhail?"

My jaw dropped. "They got married?"

She smiled widely, "Yes! It was a small one with the justice of the peace but it is official. And," she paused as if for dramatic effect, "she is due in 4 months!"

"Wow!" I looked over to Dimitri but he seemed to be holding up his composure pretty well. I hated having baby talk around him. I knew it bothered him. "That's great." I cleared my throat, "Now back to Christian's aura."

"Like I said, it was kind of out of sorts. I tried to focus but the colors were all over the place."

"Like there was a disturbance in the force," Christian added smugly. He may look sick but that didn't take away from his biting sarcasm.

She threw him a sour face, "Ha. Funny."

He pointed at her and looked at me accusingly, "Do you see what I mean? She used to find that funny."

She sighed heavily and looked at me for back up, "Well it's only funny when it's done to someone else."

She nodded and stuck her tongue at him, "See? I'm not the only one."

"Okay, I am leaving now. Have fun catching up." He started for the door.

Dimitri's voice boomed, "Wait. We have some news for you two."

Christian paused and waved his hand as if signaling Dimitri to continue before he got bored and walked out regardless of news. "Did you find a cure for cancer?"

"Um, no." I wasn't sure what was bothering the both of them but it was starting to make me agitated as well. "We are getting married."

He shrugged, "We already knew that."

"Tomorrow," Dimitri smiled and pulled me to his side.

Lissa's expression was priceless, "Tomorrow? But the dresses don't come in for another week!"

I laughed, "Can't we just call and ask for a rush? I mean if we pay extra they tend to do that sort of thing."

Lissa laughed nervously, "I guess so. But you guys," she looked so baffled, "why the move up of the date?"

Dimitri tightened his hold on me, "We just didn't want to wait. May's in another two months and we figured why not just have it now." He kissed my head and I smiled meekly. Thank god he spoke up because Lissa would have seen through my lie.

Christian nodded, "Makes sense to me. I hope I'm feeling better by then. I wouldn't want to puke on anyone or anything."

Gross, "We'll have a bucket waiting for you on the sidelines just in case."

He gave me thumbs up and smiled, "Awesome." His expression was quickly replaced with pain. He wrapped his arms around his stomach and groaned. Lissa was instantly at his side. No matter how much they argued they were always there for each other. That was love.

She cradled him and caressed his face. "Are you alright?" Her voice held extreme worry. I felt for her.

He nodded slowly, "I think so." But he looked like he might keel over. Dimitri took him from Lissa.

"I am taking you to the med clinic." He threw his arms over his shoulder. "They must have missed something. There's something wrong."

Lissa put her hand to her mouth and choked back a sob, "Do you want me to come?"

I grabbed her hand, "Come on. I'll walk with you."

All four of us made our way there relatively quick. Once the nurse saw his face she rushed him to a room and sent out a rush announcement for the doctor. Lissa, Dimitri and I had to wait in the lounge. It was agonizing. I was actually starting to really worry about him.

Suddenly Arian walked through the door. I looked him up and down. "What are you doing here?"

He sent me a cunning smile, "I was paged. Someone needs to be healed?"

I looked befuddled at Lissa, "Why wouldn't they just ask you?"

Adrian shrugged, "They wouldn't want to risk her." He nodded to Dimitri who in turn nodded back. Then he disappeared behind the double doors. No doubt headed to Christian's room.

Four hours passed and they walked out head high. Adrian had his usual grin displayed on his face but Christian looked a tad embarrassed. We all stood as they approached. Before we could say a word Christian spoke, "I'm fine. It was nothing big."

"Nothing big? Back in our room you looked like you were in serious pain! Don't try to tell me it was nothing big!" Lissa was hysterical. Maybe this should have been a private matter.

He grabbed her hands and placed them to his chest, "It was nothing big. The doctors said it was just Costochondritis."

"What?" I felt so stupid. What the hell did that mean?

"It's just a pain caused by inflammation of cartilage on my ribs. Nothing big." He smiled again and looked Lissa in the eye. "I'm fine. Really."

Adrian shook his head, "I really doubt their conclusion but whatever."

"Okay, that's just weird. But as long as you're alive and breathing", I sighed.

"Barely!" Lissa was still out of sorts. "Come on. We are going home and you are in bed rest until the wedding." They started walking out the door with Adrian following when she called from over her shoulder, "I'll meet you in your room in about an hour."

I waved at her and looked back to my gorgeous Russian. His brown eyes were just taking me in. It was almost like he was lost in my image. His face held a smile revealing his pearly whites and butterflies took flight in my stomach. He took a step towards me, "Let's go to the room."

I blushed. "Why? What's up there?" I teased.

He grabbed me and lifted me off the ground. He cradled me in his arms, "A big cozy bed with our names on it."

His touch was nearly unbearable. I wanted him with every fiber of my being. Just being in his arms felt perfect but when we made love it was like nothing I have ever experienced. I was glad I had given myself to him and only him. Our bodies matched so perfectly and every move was in sync. His flesh still smelled like aftershave and now his scent was driving me up the wall. We barely made it inside the room before I started removing his clothes.

He threw off my shirt and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his body and our lips met with a passion so full of fire it burned us. It was a more than welcome touch. His hands ran the length of my body as he laid me on the bed. His very touch was pure pleasure to my senses. I arched my back which made my chest push against his. I brought him down on me and kissed his neck. His most sensitive spot, aside from the obvious, was the base of his neck. A soft sounding moan left his lips. I loved the sound of his voice even in the slightest form. He pressed me down and spread my arms out. His hands were firm on my wrist. He moved one hand up and traced the shape of my face. His fingers made their way down to my breasts, my stomach, and teased to dare touch my most intimate of intimates.

I giggled and squirmed under his touch. "Don't tease."

His eyes burned into me, "Is that an invitation?"

I smiled seductively, "It's mandatory."

He brought his mouth to mine and it was like liquid fire. What we did then was like pulling moon down to Earth. The magnetism was like the effect a full moon had on the tide. My body always yearned for his touch and once we gave into the craving it was like losing yourself. You could die in the ecstasy and choose to come back when you wanted. But I didn't want to. I wanted to stay entangled in his presence. I wanted to keep this completion that came as a result of our bodies making contact. Just the thought of it made me quiver.

I laid on top of him and felt his breaths coming and going heavily. I traced circles around his defined abs. "You are so perfect. It's almost like someone took the time to sculpture you."

He laughed, "Trust me, Roza. I am not perfect."

I traced my finger over a small scar on his side. "All your little imperfections make you that much more beautiful. It makes you human, fragile."

He tilted my head to look up at him. "You are perfect. You seem so invincible. I have seen you at your best." I looked deep into his eyes. I wish I could read him as well as he learned to read me. It almost felt unfair.

"You've seen me at plenty of my worst times."

He shook his head slightly, "You have overcome so much at such at young age. You are wise beyond your years. I have never met a more beautiful, wise, or wonderful woman such as yourself." He kissed me and I felt all frivolous inside. "I don't think I ever will."

I smiled and ran my hand through his hair. God, how I loved that silky texture. "I guess that's what makes us so perfect together. We complement one another."

He smiled back at me and I wished that he would always have his natural smile on his face. It made him that much more irresistible. I laid my head on his chest and started fading into sleep. I thought it would have been peaceful but then I saw the Court's church appear. The first person that came to mind was Adrian but that wasn't the face that came strolling around the corner.

"Surprised to see me here?"

I gave her a puzzled look, "When did you learn how to walk dreams?"

Lissa's smile widened, "Adrian showed me the last time he paid a visit to you. I watched as he made contact. Believe it or not this is my third attempt tonight. I finally got through. What have you been doing? I figured you'd be asleep."

I flushed at the thought, "Spending some quality time with Dimitri."

She caught on, "Oh. Well thank goodness I don't have a bond to you. That'd be weird."

"You have no idea." I recalled the time that I was sucked into her love making with Christian on more than one occasion.

"Sorry." She cleared her throat and looked around, "Wow, I didn't think you'd pick the church."

"What do you mean I picked it? I didn't…" My words trailed off. Adrian said he let me pick the place that time we met in Sonia's garden. "You mean you haven't tried to manipulate our surroundings?" I looked at myself. I was wearing blue jeans and the red shirt I had on with my last Adrian visit.

She shook her head. "I haven't gotten that far this is my first time succeeding." She smiled big and did a little victory dance.

I laughed, "Nice."

"Oh, Adrian's going to stop in once I leave. He is going to ask you how I did. Please give me a good report." Her eyes looked pleadingly at me.

I nodded and waved her away, "Duh. Like I'd make you look bad in front of him."

She jumped up and down clapping, "Yay! That puts me ahead of him!"

"Are you guys seriously racing to see who masters the spirit abilities first?"

She looked childishly at me, "Maybe. Well, he said he could do better and I couldn't back down." Her voice was rising in volume.

I grabbed her shoulders, "Lissa, have you been wearing your charms?" I realized she wasn't wearing any in here.

She looked sheepishly away, "I forgot to put one on today. But it's not a big deal. I'll just wear two tomorrow." She smiled and suddenly reached for a piece of my hair. "You should keep it down for the ceremony. You look so pretty with it down."

Sorrow swept over me. She was starting to ramble like Adrian would when he starts falling into the darkness. "Lissa, maybe you should go to sleep."

"We are asleep, Rose. I'm in your dreams."

"I know, but maybe you should rest your mind. This takes some spirit use and you said that you hadn't worn any charms."

"So?" She sounded a little offended.

"So maybe you should take it easy." I hugged her and when I pulled away she realized that she was starting to sound spacey.

She put her hand to her forehead, "You're right. I just need some rest."

I yawned and stretched out. "Plus, it may be a dream but I always feel drained and exhausted when I wake up. It feels real." I laughed to ease the tension.

She laughed back, "Sorry. Adrian said you didn't like dream visits."

I shook my head and held her hands, "But what kind of friend would it make me if I didn't congratulate you!"

Her smile widened. "Really? Are you honestly proud of me?"

"Extremely. You did so well. I'm impressed." I looked around at our surroundings. She had done pretty well for her first time. I almost thought this was Adrian's handy work. "Adrian would be put to shame."

She sighed with relief, "Thank you, Rose. I really needed that." She hugged me, "You're such a good friend."

Those were the last words I heard when the dream world faded into darkness. I stayed asleep but I braced myself. Adrian would be making a visit soon. Sure enough a new scenery formed around me. It was gorgeous. There were flowers everywhere and both the sun and the full moon occupied the sky. The sky took on a purplish-blue hue that made the dew on flowers surroundings us shimmer like they were covered in glitter. In the distance a waterfall overtook a wall of rocks and crashed down on a small body of water. It looked as crystal blue as Christian's eyes. Adrian was sitting with his back against a cherry tree. The pink flowers that filled the tree came floating down and he caught one in his hand. "Hello, little dhampir. Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful. Where are we?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I just made it up."

I was shocked, "You can make up the place we go to."

He smiled smugly, "This was just a practice shot. I've never done this before."

"Tonight must be firsts for everybody, huh?"

"I see that Lissa made it to you then." He propped himself on one arm. His eyes shimmered as they caught the light.

"I almost thought it was you."

His smile faltered. "You were expecting me?"

I looked away, "No, it's just that you are the only one who visits me in my dreams."

He stood up and dusted himself off. "Just as well, how did she do?"

"I was impressed. She took us to the church on the Court grounds. She let me choose my own clothes too." I smiled sincerely.

He gestured at my clothes, "And that's what you picked?"

I looked down at myself. I had on the red dress that Dimitri had gotten me. "No, actually. Dimitri got me this as a gift for my surprise."

He laughed, "He has good taste. Why'd you choose that?"

I touched the soft fabric, "I just really liked it. I must have been thinking about it right when you dropped in."

"Good choice but shall we make this a little more casual?" He walked over and touched the strap that clung to the edge of my shoulder. It quickly changed into a white spaghetti strap shirt and my bottom was covered by blue jean shorts. "Better. It goes well with this weather."

I smiled, "What about you? You look like you stepped off of an Abercrombie magazine."

He looked at himself, "I think I look pretty good."

I circled him, "Oh no. If I'm dressing down so are you." I placed my hand on his chest and his designer shirt turned into a plain black t-shirt and his black slacks cut short just beneath his knees and turned a khaki color. I stepped back and looked him over, "That's a good look for you. Simple."

He looked at me in awe. "Rose, your aura."

I looked down at my arms as if I might be able to see it myself. "My aura?"

"It's all over the place. It looks like…"

"Christian's." I gasped the name. "I don't get it. Why is this happening?"

He reached out and placed his hand on my face. I suddenly started feeling that hot and cold sensations I got from Lissa when she healed me. Then I realized it. He had progressed in his training as well. The sensations stopped and he stepped away and examined me. He shook his head, "I don't get it. How do you feel?"

I shrugged, "I didn't even notice a change." But then it happened. A pain shot through my body and I wrapped my arms around myself and ended up on the floor on my knees.

Adrian ran to my side, "Rose! What's happening?" His voice was in a panic.

I could barely breathe in to speak. It felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to my ribs and my head was throbbing so loudly. It felt like my heart was beating in there. "I… I don't know. It fucking hurts!"

He put his hand on my side and my world rushed by, "Go to Lissa".

I sprang up from my bed and let out a yelp. Dimitri grabbed me, "What's wrong?"

I was still in pain, "Take me… to Lissa." I tried to suck in air between words.

His face was filled with worry. It always hurt him to see me like this. "Is something wrong? What's happening?"

I shook my head and pointed to the door, "Take me to her!"

He lifted me into his arms and carried me to her room. I don't even think he knocked. Lissa sprang up from her bed and Christian nearly rolled out. "What's happening?"

He laid me on the couch, "There's something wrong with Rose." He was still very uneasy. I could hear the distress in his voice. "She said to bring her to you."

"Christian", I pointed at him. "How are you feeling?"

His face went bewildered, "Fine. I feel fine now, why?"

"Great", I tried for a smile but it cracked and I curled up more from the intensifying pain. "I think you gave me whatever you had."

"What?" He was as lost as everyone else was. That included me. "What I had wasn't contagious. It was temporary."

Lissa looked at Dimitri. Tears were starting to make their ways to her eyes, "How did this happen?"

"I don't know. She just woke up yelling and told me to bring her to you!" He was starting to lose his control.

But then the pain started receding. I uncurled and just laid there. I saw that Christian's eyes were at the door. Adrian stood there staring me down with a gaze so intense it felt like he was reaching out for my soul. A split second later he leaned fatigued on the doorframe and broken eye contact.

Dimitri pulled me into his arms and I just rested my head on his chest. He looked around, "What just happened?"

Lissa's eyes were wide. She never looked away from Adrian, "What was that? What did you just do?"

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "It was an overload of magic."

Christian shook his head, "That would explain my problem but not Rose's."

Dimitri looked down at me, "Rose doesn't have magic."

He shrugged, "I'm just telling you what I saw. She had the same aura and everything." He pulled out his pack of cigarettes and put one to his lips. "Hell if I know what that means." He lit it and took a drag.

Lissa nodded. "I saw her aura as well. It did look like Christian's but," she sounded like she was in disbelief. "How did you know it was magic?"

I flushed a little, "He came to me in my dreams," I looked at Dimitri reassuringly, "to get my report on how Lissa did on her dream walking."

Adrian nodded, "Yea and then her aura suddenly went haywire. When I touched her she felt like fire. I tried to heal it but it didn't change. So I shot her out of her dream so I could do it in real world terms." He took another long drag.

I placed my hand on Dimitri's. He still looked both worried about my situation and by Adrian's visit. "It's going to be alright. We'll figure this out."

He smiled at me and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I know, Roza. You've always been so strong."

Lissa was still just standing in the same spot looking at Adrian. "How… how did you do that?"

I looked between them two, "Do what? What'd you see?"

His smile was clever, "The same way I did it to Christian. I took it out of her."

She shook her head, "Took what out? The magic?"

He shrugged, "Yea, I just focus on streaming it into mine. I've been using my magic to train so it's never too high so I figured I'll make room for them by filling my cup." He smiled at me, "Yours was peculiar."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, it wasn't a normal element. And I know what they feel like. Including spirit." He gestured to Lissa. "But you, it was like it was shaded. Almost like it was shrouded in darkness."

Dimitri looked to Lissa, "But that's not possible. They don't have the bond. It doesn't make sense." He looked down at me and stroked my hair.

Adrian forced a laugh, "I know, but that's what I felt. You saw it too, Lissa."

Lissa nodded slowly, "I saw a thin stream of, I don't know, a grey light flowing into Adrian. It made the air feel thick."

Christian threw up his hands, "This is crazy! How could Rose have magic?"

Lissa shrugged a little, "Maybe it was transferred when the bond was broken. Maybe some of it stayed stuck in her."

Christian looked so confuse, "So it's just a limited amount of magic or can it regenerate?"

"I don't know. This kind of thing has never happened before. Nobody has ever been known to break a bond and still be alive." Lissa sounded like she was trying to convince herself that she knew what she was trying to explain. Spirit was still not well known. We didn't know too much about it.

Adrian walked up to me and placed his hand on my forehead. "She feels normal now. No heat, no fire." He looked at Dimitri, "She just needs some rest now. Best to take her back to your room."

Dimitri nodded, "Thank you."

"Any time."

I grabbed Adrian's arm, "But what about the wedding? Will I be well enough by tomorrow?"

Christian took the lead, "I'm feeling just peachy after some sleep. Maybe that's all you need too." His smile was comforting.

I released his arm. "That helps. Thanks."

Dimitri helped me to our room. He had insisted in carrying me but I felt like I needed the walk. I laid down slowly on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Dimitri laid beside me and wrapped me in his arms. "How are you feeling?"

I nuzzled against him, "Better. Much better."

He let out a sigh, "You scare me sometimes."

"I don't mean to."

He laughed, "I didn't think you did."

I looked up at him, "And you're sure you still want to marry me tomorrow?"

He looked down at me like he was about to scowled me, "Of course I do!"

I looked away, "And you're sure you want to go back with me to hunt down the Strigoi that are after me?"

He tilted my head up so that our eyes met, "I will always be there when you need me. You know I'd do anything for you."

I pulled him to me and rested my head on him. "Then braced yourself because once we get started you're going to be having panic attacks from how much trouble seems to find me."

He laughed, "I don't think I'll ever get use to that."

The dream world took hold of me once more. I stood in the beautiful scenery that Adrian managed to concoct all with just his imagination. Adrian appeared. "Hello, little dhampir. How are you feeling?"

I smiled at him, "Much better thanks to you. But…"

"But?"

"What about this magic thing you spoke of? How did I end up with magic?"

He shrugged, "Lissa's explanation tells it best. That's all I could think of as well. I mean think about it. You heal quickly, you've died twice, the first time was when you became shadow-kissed but then you died again which detached you from Lissa. After all is said and done you did have those special perks that came from being close to the land of the dead."

I started pacing slowly, "True. But why would it suddenly appear now?"

"Well, you didn't know it was there so you never used it. Lack of use of magic causes a buildup. I've seen a few cases of it already. Christian was one."

"So that's how you know how to heal it."

He smiled, "Yup. The first time was a bit tricky but after the first two I got the hang of it. Never thought I'd ever get the chance to use it on you though."

I stopped pacing and stood right in front of him, "So how do I use it?"

"How should I know? This is unheard of." He was really clueless. I felt confident that if he did know anything he would have told me.

I looked at him meekly, "So do you think you could train me to use it?"

His smile faltered, "I wish I could but I have no idea how your magic is used. I'm not even sure what element it comes from."

"We know it's associated with spirit."

"Are you sure? It could be from the land of the dead. Maybe you're cursed."

I shot him a glare, "I don't need magic to feel cursed."

He laughed, "You'd be surprised at how lucky everyone finds you."

I shook my head, "Not after some of the conversations I've had with you and Tasha."

"I'm sorry." He really looked like we was making a sincere apology. "I shouldn't have talked to you like that. I was just…"

"You were just upset. I know." I turned my back to him. "I kind of deserved it though after the way I treated you."

His hand landed gently on my shoulder. He turned me to face him, "Nobody deserves to be talked down to. Especially not you."

I felt my cheeks blush. He was a really sweet guy and it bothered me more what I had done now that he had forgiven me. I needed to follow my own advice and forgive myself. "Will you come tomorrow? To the wedding?"

He smiled, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

I hugged him, "Thank you. I really mean it. You're a great guy. Any girl would be lucky to have you."

He sighed, "Any girl?"

I felt the double meaning in that. I didn't want him falling for me again. I didn't want to hurt him, "You'll find her. Don't worry."

He pulled away, "I hope will still love me when I've gone completely insane." He forced out a laugh.

"Why haven't you been using healing charms?"

"I do. I just tend to forget sometimes when I drink too much."

"Did you just admit that you drink too much?" I looked at him accusingly.

He shook his head, "Only sometimes. I'm getting better."

"Yea, you're getting so much better that you decided to spark up a cigarette in the palace. In Lissa's room no less."

"Hey I have had a very stressful day. Lissa didn't seem to mind." He smiled smugly and leaned against the cherry tree.

I looked up and admired the small pink flowers floating down gracefully. "I suppose." I caught one in my hand and touched the delicate petals. It was so tiny yet so beautiful. "I have to get back to sleep. Big day tomorrow." I never took my eyes off of the flower.

His hand touched my cheek and our eyes met, "You will make for one beautiful bride. Even if you just wore a t-shirt and sweat pants." He laughed and I joined in.

I touched his hand, "I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done."

He shook his head, "No need. I already know I'm awesome."

This just made me laugh, "Yea but you still don't match up to my awesomeness."

He shook his head and brought my hand to his lips, "Always a pleasure, little dhampir." His lips made contact with my skin and then the world went black.

I woke in my bed and I could still feel his lips on the back of my hand. I looked up at Dimitri and I felt a sort of guilt. I hadn't done anything wrong yet I felt like I should tell him about the dream visits that Adrian and I have had other than the one just to talk about Lissa's dream walking skills. I caressed his face and felt the warmth of him on the tips of my fingers. He smiled in his sleep and it made my heart flutter. Luck was finally making itself known to me and I suddenly felt that everything was going to be alright.

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	8. Chapter 8

The morning air was welcoming. Dimitri had left to get ready and thanks to Lissa's influence in our world we were able to get the dresses here at the last minute. Jill was applying my makeup while Lissa tried to sprits my hair with bits of sparkles. I stepped away and waved some of the fragrance away. I felt like I was drowning in perfume, "Too much, Liss."

She laughed, "Sorry, I'm just trying to get a spot that looks like it needs more sparkle."

She tried to reach up to spray but I grabbed her. "No more, please. I'm pretty sure you've done a great job."

They both looked so pretty in their dresses but when I stood in front of the mirror I didn't recognize the face looking back. The dress fell perfectly around me and my hair cascaded back with a small strip lying gently on my shoulder. I reached up and touched my face. Jill had done a great job. I don't like to sound conceded, but I looked gorgeous.

Mia walked in, "They are ready for you." She looked really pretty too. She looked me over, "Wow, Rose. You look perfect."

I laughed, "Don't sound so surprised about it."

She laughed, "Well, you've always been pretty but now you look amazing. I hope Dimitri doesn't faint from anxiety when he sees you."

I shot a panicked looked at Lissa. She shook her head at me and shot Mia an icy scowl. "He will be fine. Everything will go according to plan." She took me by my shoulders. "Come on. You don't want to keep him waiting or he _will_ freak."

That comment made me double time it down stairs. It felt like the stairs were moving in the opposite direction and it took forever to reach the bottom. It was like walking down an escalator moving up. I stood in front of the double doors leading into the church. My heart was racing and I tried to steady myself. I could hardly believe that this day was already here. Lissa, Jill, and Mia walked in. Each held a small bundle of assorted flowers. Their scents remained around me long after the three of them walked away.

Then my cue was signaled with the arrival of Abe. He and my mother flew in early this morning when I called to tell them about the wedding. Abe wasn't too thrilled about it because 'it was too soon'. I think he just really wanted us to get married in May. I had no idea why but I knew he always wanted to get his way. Same old Zmey. He smiled as he approached me. "Hello daughter."

I smiled back, "Hello father."

"Are you ready for this?"

I took in a deep breath, "As ready as I'll ever be."

He laughed, "I have never seen you this nervous. Not even when we busted you out of jail."

I shot him a coy glance, "This is not fear, it's anxiety."

He took my hand in his and patted it, "You'll be fine. You look beautiful." He brushed his lips on my forehead. "I'm so proud of you."

I returned his smile. This was a moment I never thought would come. The double doors opened and we walked in together. The room was white but each pew was decorated with ribbons and assorted flowers. All my bride's maids stood to the left and Dimitri and his groom's men stood to the right. Everyone had turned to face us. It felt like the whole room was holding their breaths but then the awes came from all around. I turned and kept my eyes forward on Dimitri. He stood facing us with admiration written all over his face. I hadn't even felt like I had taken a step when we suddenly stopped in front of the altar.

Abe turned to me and kissed my cheek, "Go get 'em."

"Thanks, dad."

I turned back to Dimitri. My face was burning. I could feel my heart thudding in my chest and my stomach was filled with flutters. I stood in front of him and he took my hands. He looked nervous but at the same time I could see his eyes filled with so much admiration and love. His fingers gently stroked the back of mine.

The ceremony seemed to go by in a blur. I felt myself speak the words 'With this ring, I thee wed' as if mechanically and slipped the silver band on his finger. I was so focused on not panicking that I put myself in autopilot. I kind of wished I hadn't done that because in that moment I felt a tear run down my face.

Then Dimitri took my hand and recited, "With this ring I thee wed." He slid a silver ring on my finger that held a small diamond embedded in the center. It had swirls that wrapped around and met on the back. I stared down at it in awe. This was really happening.

The next thing I knew the priest spoke, "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Dimitri removed my veil and pulled me to him. I snapped into full focus when our lips met. I wrapped my arms around him and held that kiss probably longer than we should have. When we parted Dimitri's gaze was so full of love that my heart ached. We walked out hand in hand on a cloud. The cheers I heard were barely audible. Like they were coming from another room. Once we were outside we led the way to the ballroom. We were holding a reception there that Abe was kind enough to pay for. Surprise, surprise.

The room was full of color. Even the ceiling had drapes of fabrics in gorgeous vibrant colors. I took in the smells. It was sweet and compelling. I wanted to bask in it. Dimitri and I took our seats at the center table. Everyone hushed as Lissa walked in escorted by Christian. She smiled at us, "On behalf of our people I would like to congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Belikov!" Everyone cheered as they walked over and took an especially reserved seat in a table by us.

Christian leaned forward and signaled to me to get closer, "How are you feeling?"

I shrugged, "Pretty good, actually."

He leaned back into his seat, "Told you all you needed was a little rest."

I crumbled up my paper napkin and threw it at him, "Don't be so smug about it. It's not like _that's_ what healed me."

A figure approached our table. I looked up only to find Adrian shaking Dimitri's hand and congratulating him. He smiled at me, "Hello, little dhampir. Congrats."

I stood up and gave him a proper hug. "Thank you."

He pulled away to look at me, "Wow, you're gorgeous."

I blushed slightly, "Thanks. Jill and Lissa's work."

"I'm sure they didn't have to do much." He was always going to be a flirt. He turned away and when he looked back at us he led Hope in. "Everyone, this is my date."

"Hope!" I embraced her. "Oh my God, how are you doing?"

She smiled big, "I'm a free woman. I now only have one guard following me." She gestured behind her and sure enough a big guy in the usual 'Guardian wear' was standing by an exit and keeping an eye on her.

"That's amazing."

She shook her head, "What's amazing is that I get out of jail and you two end up getting married."

Lissa laughed, "This wasn't supposed to happen for another two months but, hey, why not now, right?"

Adrian raised his glass, "I'll drink to that."

"You'll drink to just about anything", Christian scoffed.

Lissa gave him a swift elbow to the ribs. She quickly turned her attention back to me and Dimitri, "So what are you both doing for your honeymoon?"

I looked up at Dimitri. I really wanted him to speak because Lissa might have been able to see through my lie. He noticed my plea, "We are going to spend it in Siberia. Rose has been dying to go sightseeing there." He gave me a squeeze.

"Aw. That's so romantic." Lissa was so buying it. "And when did you plan on coming back?"

Dimitri shrugged, "Not sure." He looked down at me. "Rose?"

"Um, me neither." I forced out a laughed that sounded like it was edged with apprehension. "Why rush a honeymoon?"

Out from the corner of my eye I spotted my parents making their way over. Just in time to kill this talk. My mother came to my side first. "What a surprise! I wasn't expecting to be invited last minute to my own daughter's wedding."

I glared at her, "Mom, it was a rush wedding. We figured we'd do it now before guardian life got too hectic."

Abe took the stand, "You couldn't wait until May?"

I shook my head, "Why wait? It was going to happen eventually." I sat on the topic but then my mind popped a question out of my mouth before thinking. "Why May?"

My mother actually blushed, "No big reason."

Abe's smile said different, "Just a special time for me."

I looked between the two, "Okay, what's going on?"

"Abe, don't." My mother's voice was firm and almost threatening.

He laughed and looked at me, "Are you sure you want to know?"

I looked at my mother. She had her face in her hands shaking her head 'no'. I got nervous, "Maybe not."

He shrugged, "Doesn't bother me."

Christian jumped in, "Wait, now I want to know."

"I'm just a little curious myself", Lissa blushed at her admittance on the topic.

Abe let out a thunderous laugh. He glanced back at my mother, "Should I, Janine?"

"No, no! That is not something you should go around telling your daughter's friends!" Her face was red and flustered. Whatever it was she didn't want him sharing it.

Adrian's choking laugh broke through, "Oh. My. God. I know what he means."

I gave him an intense stare, "What? How'd you…"

He held up ten fingers, "It takes approximately 40 weeks to have a baby right? That's more or less around 9 to ten months depending on what months."

"So?"

"So, 40 weeks from May would land you in?"

"March." Dimitri laughed.

I slapped my hand to my face. "Oh God. Why me?"

Abe shrugged, "Yup. The making of baby Rose."

I flung a flower at him, "Abe, gross!"

The others just laughed. Lissa didn't though. She was as much disturbed by the conversation as me. My mother wasn't as shocked and landed a good smack to the back of his head. I'm just glad that the rest of our guests were too busy having a good time to notice our discussion.

Mia and Eddie came to our table at last. Thankfully they missed the banter as well. Mia hugged me, "Congrats!" She grabbed my left hand, "Now let me see that ring." She slightly gasped, "Oh, it's beautiful!"

Dimitri chuckled, "It's a family heirloom."

My gaze quickly shifted to him, "I didn't even know that." I looked down at the ring with a new found appreciation.

"Really? How old is it?" Eddie's question was a helpful hand to my own interrogation I was about to pursue.

Dimitri's smile was dashing, "It's been in my family since 1165. It's from the medieval times."

My jaw would have detached just to hit the ground if it could. "That's amazing." I could barely stammer the words.

Christian whistled, "That's pretty awesome."

"My grandmother gave it to me when I told her that I had proposed to Rose." He set his gaze on me.

"It's perfect." I pulled him to me and kissed him.

Then an announcer called out, "It's time for the newly wed's first dance."

I felt my face go flat. Crap. I hadn't slow danced since God knows when. I didn't even have time to practice with such little time that was given. I gave an uneasy look to Dimitri who just in turned smile, "Don't be nervous. Just follow my lead."He led me onto the dance floor. Everyone was silent but then the music started. It was 'Guardian Angel' by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. My heart fluttered as I strapped the ribbon from my dress to my wrist to help keep the train out of the way. He leaned down and whispered, "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Then he stepped slowly and smoothly. He was an easy lead to follow. As graceful as the first day I met him. The world and all its noise seemed to fade as we made our way across the floor. He held me so close he could have lifted me off my feet and nobody would have noticed. The dress was so long you couldn't see my feet anyways.

When the song was nearly over every person in the room started clinking their glasses. We stopped and Dimitri smiled, "They want us to kiss."

"What? They haven't seen enough of that already?"

He laughed softly and pulled me to him. I was on my tiptoes from how eager I was to meet him halfway. Cheers and claps burst through the music as our lips met. This was one of those perfect moments that Dimitri and I could enjoy thoroughly.

We walked hand in hand back to our table where our friends eagerly awaited us. Jill was there now too. She had tears on her face. "I'm so happy for you two."

I smiled at her sincerely, "Thank you!" I gave her a hug.

Adrian walked up to her and draped his arm over her shoulder, "Don't cry, Jailbait."

She wiped at her tears, trying not to smudge her makeup, "I don't mean to." Lissa pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her sister. "Thanks."

The dinner was delicious. They served New York Strip steaks sided with steamed vegetables and an option side. I had no idea the cooks in Court knew their stuff. Could have fooled me. But then again I didn't spend much time around the expensive restaurants here. I preferred my donut shops.

At the end of the night we thanked all our guests for attending and for their gifts. We got plenty. Someone even brought us Tupperware. It was a subtle gesture. My mother brought me a change of clothing which was a huge relief. My dress was starting to wear me out. I looked at myself and felt more at ease. A simple short sleeved satin top with some black slacks and, you guessed it, sensible shoes.

The mess took some time to get to but the janitors came in and insisted that we leave the rest to them. We thanked them graciously until we were out the door. They might as well have wheeled us out from how much we were stalling from leaving our mess in their hands. Oh well. It was their job to clean and ours to enjoy ourselves.

When we finally stumbled into our room I nearly collapsed on the couch. I reached out for Dimitri, "Save me! Need sugar!"

He laughed, "I'll get you something." He walked over to the fridge, "We have Hershey chocolate bars, milk duds, some coffee, um," he drummed his fingers on the door, "whipped cream."

Interesting. "All of the above?"

I could hear him let out a laugh. "Alright then. All of the above." He came in just a few minutes later and handed me a cup of coffee. "It's hot. I put plenty of crème and sugar in for you."

I blew on the top, "Thank you, honey." When I took a sip it was still hot. I burnt my tongue and tried to cool it down by puckering my lips and blowing softly.

"I told you it was hot."

I hated when he started with his _'I told you so'_ speeches. "Ha ha."

He grabbed the whipped cream and leaned towards me, "Open your mouth."

"Huh?"

He chuckled, "Just stick out your tongue." So I did. He put a dab on it. I pulled my tongue back. I did help soothe the burn. He looked at me keenly, "Better?"

I smacked my lips together, "Much." I smiled cheerfully. He always seemed to know what to do. "How'd you get so smart?"

He smiled sweetly and looked out into space, "My mother always had solutions whether it was to soothe a stinging scrape or a burn."

"You're mother is one smart lady." I blew on my coffee again and dared to take another sip. Luckily it had cooled. He picked up the box of milk duds and popped it open. I shook my finger at him, "Uh uh. That's mine."

I tried to leaned across him to grab them but he pulled away, "No, ma'am. I got them first."

I stood in front of him and put my hands on my hips, "I believe I asked for them."

He sat up, "No, you asked for everything. I doubt you can eat it all." He looked at me and then a smile crept onto his face. "Or maybe you can."

I tried to swipe the box again but he leapt over the back of the couch. It amazed me how he always managed to look so graceful. "Dimitri," my voice came out as demanding, "Come on, you know I need sugar."

He wagged the box back and forth, "You want them? Come get them."

I bolted for him but he quickly retreated into the bedroom. At first I was right on his heels but I was too tired to use my full speed. I was sure he was just as exhausted. When I looked inside the lights were off. Tricky. "Dimitri?"

His voice came from the darkness, "Rose."

I slowly eased into the room. I called out his name in singsong, "Dimitri?"

I heard a soft laugh and he repeated my name in the same singsong, "Rose."

Then I saw a shadow slip into the bathroom. The light in there was on. I quickly made a sprint for him. I ran in without looking and was grabbed from behind. I instantly went into defense mode and stomped his foot.

"Damn it," he pulled me to the ground with him and we wound up falling into the tub. The next thing I heard were all the milk duds falling out of the box and scattering in the tub with us. Dimitri's laugh started softly.

I tried to get up but fell back down on him, "It's not funny."

He put a hand to his head and his laugh grew, "You know it is."

I started in with his laughter. We just sat in there together laughing at the situation. I couldn't believe this was real. It was so perfect it was surreal. This was how it should have always been. This is how I hoped the following life with him would be.

It would have been funny if we had somehow managed to video tape ourselves trying to get out of the tub. We had one heck of a time. First he tried to push me up but I wasn't long enough. Then we tried to squirm our bodies but that just made the predicament spot even smaller. Eventually he twisted himself into a position that I was able to sort of prop myself onto his legs and push myself out upright. I was thinking about leaving him in there for punishment of dropping my milk duds but I decided against it and helped him out.

I poked my finger into his chest, "You owe me a box of milk duds."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me to him. He first kissed my fingers, then my wrist, then my forearm, my shoulder, my neck. He stopped and looked me in the eye. Desire danced in his eyes. I pulled his mouth to mine and took him in.

We ended up in the bedroom. Our bed was still disheveled so we pushed all the sheets off. He grabbed my legs from behind my knees and the next thing I knew he pulled my legs from under me. I fell flat onto my back and bounced. He crawled over me and stopped once we came face to face. He brushed my hair off my face and traced the curves of my face.

"How did I get so lucky?"

I sent him a seductive smile, "Luck had nothing to do with it." I pulled him down to me. His warmth swam into me. I could feel his pulse rising and his heart was racing. I ran my hand down his chest and grabbed a loop on his pants.

He pulled away, "Roza, wait."

"What? What is it?"

He gently took my hand and placed it on his chest. I could feel the thuds coming from his heartbeat. "Do you feel that?"

I looked precariously at my hand, "Your heart?"

"You are the only woman in this world that can make me feel this way, did you know that?" His smile made me melt. "You are the only one that can make me so nervous or scared that I fall over myself." He laughed out the words but I felt the whole seriousness behind it.

"You never get nervous."

He looked down and let out a heavy sigh. "You make me feel like I'm a love sick seventeen year old kid. I don't know what it is about you that just makes me like putty when I'm with you."

I reached up and cupped his face. He gently caressed my hand. "I love you, Dimitri. I've loved you since… forever."

He let out a relieved sigh, "If we are going through with this Strigoi hunt I need you to promise me that when bad gets to worse you'll run. No matter what."

I thought about this immensely. I knew what he meant. "I couldn't leave you behind."

He came so close to my face that I could see the color in his eyes being scattered in pigments. "You have to promise me that you will be safe. I would do anything, _anything_ to keep you safe, Roza."

I wrapped my arms around him and he buried his face in my hair. "Please. I can't promise that." I tightened my grip. "I couldn't leave you behind."

He ran his hand through my hair and I felt him breathe in. His voice came as a whisper, "Lie to me."

My eyes went wide. I could never bring myself to lie to him. I sometimes brushed around the truth, but never a full out lie. It felt dirty. Like I wasn't trustworthy enough to be with someone like him, "You want me to lie to you?"

He sighed heavily and pulled away only to rest our foreheads together, "Tell me comforting words. I need them."

I closed my eyes and felt myself go on autopilot, "I'll run."

"Promise me."

I couldn't do it. I just couldn't bring myself to make a promise that I would only end up breaking. One that he also knew I would possibly break. I shook my head, "I… I can't."

He abruptly pulled me to him. This kiss was fierce. It burned into my soul. I felt it in every morsel of my body. Every shattered piece of my aching heart. He pushed me down unto the bed and with that our night of ecstasy began. My mind pushed away all thoughts of leaving him behind. All the sadness just seemed to disappear as that steady roll of completion unraveled and unveiled itself. My heart was mending for a moments worth. It was like taking a drug. The effects lasted as long as it was in your body. I knew as soon as we parted that the reality of it all would come crashing down on us.

He laid his head on my chest and I could feel it rising and falling as I tried to steady my breaths. He ran his fingers from my shoulder blade down to my hips and back. "I love your skin. It's like silk."

I felt a soft moan escape my lips. "I love your touch."

He kissed my stomach and I got a vision of a pregnant version of myself. I shook it off quickly. Lately this had become a very delicate topic. It was starting to get to me. What if Dimitri really wanted to be a dad? What if someday he wanted children that could carry on his bloodline? I couldn't give that to him. It made me feel useless. Maybe that was what he had been feeling too.

I stroked his hair, "Dimitri?"

"Hmm?" His voice sounded lazy. He was falling to sleep.

"Do you want children?"

I looked down and saw his eyes open wide. He propped himself up, "What?"

I blushed. Maybe this wasn't the time to discuss this, "Um, I mean, someday? Did you want to have children of your own?"

He smiled but I saw the discomfort behind it, "Someday, yes."

He laid his head back down. I took in a breath, "But how?"

I felt him shrug, "There's always new technology, new magic. And you're pretty weird. Maybe this new found magic will help in the long run."

"I'm not that weird."

"Okay," he laughed.

"But do you really think so? Do you really believe that?" I ran my fingers through his hair. I wish I could believe his words. I wish I could bare his children.

"You never know." He encircled his arms around my waist and I felt his body relax. He was asleep. I continued to run my fingers through his hair. I felt myself drift into dreams. What I found there was something on a usual basis recently. I was pulled into some dream world.

I paced around a grand room. The pictures on the wall were masterpieces. Painted by the masters such as Picasso, Van Gogh, Kahlo, and even the well known Michelangelo. The room décor was elegant. The two chairs sat in the center of the room. They were made of leather. At the far end sat a tall shelf filled with thick books. Some had titles in different languages. Some even had the gold lettering I saw on the books at Dimitri's home. I ran my fingers on their spines. I tried looking around for the source of my being here.

"Lissa? Adrian? Hello?"

"Hello, Rose. It's been quite some time."

I spun around. My visitor was standing right behind in a doorway I was pretty sure wasn't there before. "Sonia?"

She was beaming. Her stomach looked like she stuck a small popcorn bowl under her shirt. "How have you been?"

"Great!" I hugged her, "How are you? Do you know what you're having yet?" I was happy to see her. I was wondering when I'd see her face again. Mikhail and her did make it to the wedding earlier.

"It's a boy." Her smile grew wide but then dropped a little, "We are sorry we didn't make it to your wedding."

I waved away the comment, "Don't worry about it. Last minute thing. I heard you were married as well."

"Yes, Mikhail and I finally tied the knot." She shifted in her stance, "And how, may I ask, is Lissa doing?"

"She's doing great. Christian and she are…" I stopped. She was giving me a weird look. Her eyes were running a circle around me, "What?"

"Rose, your aura. It's… I don't know, chaotic."

Crap. "Is it like fuzzy?" I really didn't need this.

"No", she shook her head slowly. "It's dim but at the same time quite bright for its color."

This was great. If anyone could possibly give me more information on my new found 'power' it would be her, "What color?"

She tilted her head as if trying to get a new angle on it, "It's silver. I've never seen a silver aura like this."

Silver. Lissa had described it as grey. But then again she didn't get a good look at it. "What could it mean?"

"You don't… you and Lissa aren't bonded, right?"

I shook my head, "No. We broke the bond the day I was shot."

"Broke the bond." She said the phrase as if she as in a haze. "Could it have…?"

"What?" I wanted answers. This could be of use to me when we left to go hunting for Strigoi.

She walked around me. I felt like I was under a microscope being thoroughly examined. "Have you noticed anything? Anything peculiar?"

"Yea, Adrian said I had an overload of magic just yesterday. He had to transfer some of it to himself."

"He took it out of you?"

I shrugged, "Yea. He said that it had been happening a lot lately."

Her eyes went wide, "You have to go. I have to go." She seemed like she was starting to panic. "I need to talk to Adrian." The last part was more to herself than it was to me.

I reached out to her, "Wait!"

She spun around and met my eyes, "You must be careful, Rose. Something is about to happen that you might not be able to handle."

"Please, I need your help."

She reached out and touched my cheek, "Be strong, Rose. Just be strong."

The dream world faded. This was more than I had expected. What was going on with me? I needed answers before this started eating away at me. It would drive me mad. I was still asleep. The world was just black. I tried to summon someone but now I knew how Lissa felt with a one way bond. It sucked.

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	9. Chapter 9

I spent the most of my morning feeling like a dunce. I wasn't able to get any help with this new 'magic' in me. I tried calling Lissa but she was in a meeting with the Council. Then I tried Adrian but he wasn't anywhere to be found. Sonia didn't have the time to answer my call, I guess. Dimitri and Christian were my last resources when it came to knowing about this part of my life. I wasn't sure about telling Mia, Eddie, or Jill. And I had made up my mind that I wasn't ready for any talk with my parents since Abe decided to unveil the month I was 'made'. God! Why did every aspect of my life have to be so damn complicated?

I stood in the shower trying to rack my brain for answers I knew I didn't have. I even tried summoning that magic that lay dormant inside of me but nothing happened. Heck. I didn't know the first thing about using _any_ magic. But I remembered how Lissa filled with so much emotion that I figured some source of it would make the magic surface. But I had no success. In _any_ form. I began to hate knowing.

A knock came to the bathroom door. I poked my head out of the shower door. "Who is it?"

"It's me. You alright in there?" Dimitri's voice was muffled by the thickness of the door.

I squeezed out excess water from the ends of my hair and watched the water make contact with the tile floor. It reminded me of the glittering dew on the flowers in my visit with Adrian. I kind of wished I could go back there willingly. "I'm fine. Just finishing up."

"Alright. I have to leave to get some paperwork done before we get on our way but I made you some coffee and put some donuts on the table for you."

God, how I loved that man. "You're a savior!"

I heard him laugh and then I heard the room door close. He was gone. I wrapped myself in a towel and stood in front of the long mirror in the bathroom. I sat on the counter and tried again to call forth the magic. I focused on love, beauty, kindness, and nothing. Nothing happened. It was like I was being denied access to a theatre that I owned.

Suddenly I heard the room door close again. I stood up and peeked out into the bedroom, "Hello? Dimitri? Did you forget something?"

Adrian popped his head in from the living room. I could see him straight across the floor. "Hey." He waved but once he noticed I was in a towel he dropped his hand and quickly turned around. "Sorry, I didn't know you weren't dressed."

I tightened the towel on me. "It's fine. Just wait in the living room. And close the door."

He saluted me and reached aimlessly for the door until he got a hold on the knob and closed it swiftly behind him. I patted myself dry and threw on a grey t-shirt and some jeans. My tennis shoes were already starting to grow a mouth so I went ahead and slipped on the sensible shoes my mother bought me yesterday. They were little black slip on shoes that resembled ballet slippers. Kind of girlie for my taste but they were still comfortable. I blow dried my hair until it was nearly fully dry and scrutinized myself in the mirror. It would have to do.

When I walked in I spotted Adrian eating one of the Hershey bars that Dimitri and I had left out last night. It made me smile thinking about the milk dud incident. I cleared my throat and he looked back at me. "Finally. You took a while to come out."

"My hair was wet." I scoffed at him. Why did he have to always be so sardonic? "What's up?"

He looked around the room and nodded his head, "Nice place. I don't think I've been in this room since… well since Lissa became queen."

I looked down at my feet, "I know." I hated remembering that I was the two-timer that broke his heart. "But I doubt that you came by just to see how I've redecorated."

He laughed and placed another square of chocolate in him mouth. "You're right." He continued to walk around and inspect the room's décor. "Sonia gave me a visit. She said I need to help you with your 'magic'."

"Really? You will?"

He raised his hand and shook his head, "One problem. I don't know how to…"

"But you just said…"

"Yet."

Relief swept over me. Maybe this wasn't hopeless. "So, how do we do this?"

He sighed heavily and tapped his lips with his index finger. "Hmm. Well first off we need to see what element it is."

"And how exactly do we do that?"

He walked around me looking me up and down. "It's still there. I can see it and almost feel it." He reached out a hand touched my arm. I felt the hot and cold sensations and then suddenly he pulled it back, "Whoa."

I stepped away from him, "'Whoa'? What does 'whoa' mean? What happened?"

A grin spread on his face. "It kind of… reached out to my magic."

"What?"

He attempted to reach out again and let out a laugh, "It's like it's trying to connect to me. It's like nothing I've ever seen."

I sighed. That was beginning to be something I was hearing on a regular basis. "Well, it's kind of unheard of for a dhampir to have magic whatsoever!"

He looked sheepishly away. "Right. Sorry but magic doesn't do this. It doesn't act like this."

I wish I had the power to see it. I hated not knowing. It made me feel left out. Especially when it was my own body that I didn't know about. "What does magic 'act' like then?"

"Your magic should only reach out to you. The only time it goes to someone or something else is when we transfer magic into objects like stakes or wards. In the case of spirit we use it to heal so we transfer it to the soul." He stuck out his hand. "Let me show you."

I put my hand in his, "What now?"

His smile grew pensive and he laughed, "Just don't hit me."

"Why would I…?" He pressed a nail to my palm and dragged it across fast. It stung and blood quickly surfaced. "Damn it!" I tried to pull away but he held on tightly to me.

"Don't be such a baby."

I winced, "That really stung. You could have warned me."

He pressed a finger to his lips as a signal for me to be quiet. He closed his eyes and I felt sensations tingle through my hand. The blood started to disperse and the wound began to close right before my eyes. When it was fully closed the sensations stopped and he opened his eyes. "Did you feel that?"

"Yea. I always noticed it when Lissa healed me and that time you tried to heal me in the dream world." I traced a finger over the spot the cut once sat.

He nodded, "I was sending healing powers to the source of the wound. Spirit carries that power."

"I get it but what about mine?"

He touched my skin again, "When I try to pull some out of you, like this," he focused his eyes as if staring at my aura and then I felt a little dizzy. The air started to buzz and feel like static was zapping around my skin. "It attaches itself to my magic and kind of tries to replace the taken magic by taking some of mine."

Shock struck me so hard I was dumb struck, "So my magic is eating off of your spirit?"

He shrugged, "Something like that."

"Does any magic do that?"

He shook his head, "None that I know of."

I sighed. Great. Another dead end. Why couldn't Sonia help me? She acted like she knew something about it in her visit. Why couldn't she just tell me what she knew? Why would she send Adrian of all people? "Now what?"

"Now we try to concentrate the magic on objects by using emotion as a trigger."

I dropped my head back, "I already tried triggering it with emotion." We had barely gotten started but I was already getting very impatient. I wasn't meant to have magic, that was certain.

"Anything happen?"

"Nope."

"Then you didn't do it right."

I felt a vein pop onto my forehead. I didn't like being lectured by anyone. I especially didn't like being lectured by my friends, little lone Adrian. He was the last person I'd ever expect to teach me a thing or two about anything. I placed my hands on my hips, "Oh really? And how would you know that? You weren't even there."

"I know because every magic is triggered by some form of strong emotion." He placed his chin between his thumb and index finger. "Maybe you didn't use the right ones or didn't focus it strong enough." He looked like he was staring at an invisible force that surrounded me. That's kind of what an aura was. "Try it now."

"Which emotion?"

"Which one in strongest in you right now?" He circled around me.

Agitation, frustration and maybe even a little aggravation. I felt the impatience growing on me and tried to steady my thoughts to calm myself. "You tell me."

He smiled slyly, "Just a moment ago you had a bit of red in your aura but it looks like you've chilled out a little since then." He stood in front of me and his smile turned wicked, "Maybe you should have tried sticking to it, little dhampir."

I stared him down. I knew what he was getting at but I wasn't so sure I fully agreed. I decided that I would do what I must to figure this thing out. I let out a heavy sigh, "Just do your worst."

"What? Me? I get on your bad side easiest?" He placed a hand on his chest mockingly and acted like it really hurt his feelings. "I'm so hurt."

"I really doubt that."

"Huh." He shrugged and started inspecting me. He laughed. "So this was the best thing you could find in your closest?"

I looked at myself, "What's wrong with my clothes?"

"Nothing if you're going to go work out and intend to get all sweaty." He smiled, "Sweat does wonders for your scent."

I caught on, "That's a pretty lame way to get on my nerves."

"I was just saying, Lissa has time to get pretty and do her makeup," he dropped his smile.

"Lissa's not a guardian".

He nodded, "You're right, she's not a guardian. She's queen."

I felt my face flush. "Which is all the more reason to prim and powder herself."

"So you don't like wearing makeup?" his smile played a little bit of concern.

I was starting to get flustered and just a little agitated. "I do! But I just don't have the time or the need for it. It's not part of my job description."

He turned away from me, "Geez, you can just say that you'd rather not look pretty. We're all friends here."

_What!_ "I don't need fucking makeup to look pretty!" He had struck a vein there. I always had issues with this topic. It was a privilege to get to wear makeup on special occasions. I even got to wear some eyeliner on a daily basis if I was lucky enough to wake up early. But I knew I was pretty without it. I had gotten plenty of compliments without it before, right? I hated doubting myself.

He turned to face me and grabbed my shoulders, "Now focus it. Try to summon your magic."

I closed my eyes tightly and balled up all my anger into my core. It felt like trying to gather water with my hands. Some just got loose from me. It was harder than I had predicted. I grabbed his hand and squeezed, "Help me."

He squeezed back, "Feel it in every part of you. Let it run its course. Don't hold back."

I could hear my pulse. The thudding of my heart felt like a drum. I picked all the bad things that had occurred since I could remember. But I didn't feel anything else. Just the anger sitting on me. It was infuriating. I opened my eyes and looked at him. He was just staring me down, "Anything?"

"Your aura is extremely red. You don't feel any tingles, power, anything?"

I shook my head. "No. Now I just feel pissed off."

"Huh." He pointed at me, "Then that's not it."

"What? You mean to tell me that I got all worked up for nothing?"

"I told you we had to experiment with the emotions. That was only one." He stepped towards me and cupped my face. "This is going to be by trial and error. We don't know anything about it."

I felt my heart sink. Why does everything have to take so damn long? I took in a breath and tried to calm down. I nodded, "Well then let me go blow off some of this steam in the gym."

He released me and nodded in agreement, "Sure. Just call my cell when you get back."

"You're not coming with me?"

"I have other matters to attend to."

"Then who do I spar with?"

He laughed, "Do you really think I'd spar with you?" He shook his head, "I would have to be out of my mind."

I sighed, "I'll just have to find someone else."

Adrian walked to the door, "I'll see you later, little dhampir."

I waved at him, "See you later."

I grabbed two donuts from the table and downed a cup of coffee. I threw on a hoodie and decided to buy a new pair of shoes before heading to the gym. The shoe store was nearly vacant which was lucky for me because I was in a hurry. I dropped my sensible shoes into my gym bag and slipped on my new Reeboks. They were pretty comfy but obviously needed to be broken in. And what better way to do it than to work out in them?

I walked into the gym and threw off my hoodie. It was pretty warm in here. I stretched out my limbs and approach the punching bag. I started off with a few jabs but then things got aggressive. I unleashed all my pent up anger from the 'practice run'. I threw punches, elbows, kicks, and knees. I seriously wanted to hurt this bag.

The gym door opened. I stopped to see who my visitor was and in walked Dimitri. "Looking good."

I smiled at him, "Just trying to calm down."

His face grew puzzled, "From what?"

"Adrian stopped by. He's helping me to find my magic but I have to trigger it with emotions."

He smiled, "So he pissed you off?"

"That was the plan."

"Anything happen?"

"Nope. Just got pissed off." I forced out a laugh. "I'm supposed to meet with him after I calm down."

He grabbed the punching bag and leaned in, "What emotion do you plan on triggering next?"

I shrugged, "I'm not sure. This one was random. He just told me to stick with the one that was already in my reach."

"And anger was your first pick?"

"That's what he told me he saw."

He let go of the bag and walked over to the wall. His long body rested with poise against it. I couldn't help but feel a yearning to go and kiss him. That pull was there and it was tugging at my heart. "Can I join your next session?"

I nodded, "Of course you can." I walked up to him and ran my finger on his chest, "Maybe you can even help trigger some emotions."

He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to him. Our faces were just inches away. I could almost taste his lips. "I think I'd rather enjoy that."

"You're more than welcome to try." I pulled him down to me and our lips met. It was always like heaven to have him kiss me. I doubted that this feeling would ever change. When we parted it was like a wave crashing down and dying on the surf. I tilted my head towards the ring. "Interested in sparring? I need a partner."

He raised an eyebrow. "Will you take it easy on me?"

I gave it momentary thought, "Probably not."

His smile grew, "Then let's get started."

He slipped out of his duster and dropped it on my bag. We entered the ring as he limbered up. "So what are the rules?"

He shrugged, "No face hits."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

He came at me first. I threw a punch that he dodged and he landed a quick jab to my shoulder. I struck out and grazed his rib. When I tried to back up he kicked and swept my legs right from under me. I landed with a thud but quickly recovered. I shot up into his chest and landed a good blow to his sternum. But that didn't faze him for long. He grabbed my wrist and spun me against his chest. I tried an elbow but he caught it with his free hand. I struggled a bit before I stomped on his foot. He slacked and I pushed him off of me. He stumbled just a little but regained his posture.

"You're getting better, Rose." I could hear his breaths getting heavy.

"I had a good teacher." I shot for him and the sparring ensued. We kept at it for about thirty minutes before deciding to take a break.

He sat at the edge of the ring. I walked over to my bag and pulled out my water bottle. It was a refreshing relief to my drying throat. I waved it at him, "Want some?"

He nodded, "Sure." He took a swig. He looked over at me and smiled with pride, "I haven't had a good work out like that since the test at St. Vladimir's."

"Not even when we fought when you…" I stopped. I knew better than to go _there_. I didn't like to see the pain it brought him when his Strigoi past was brought up.

"Not even when what?" He looked sincerely interested in my next words. He probably hadn't caught on. But then he looked at my face. My ever readable face that I should have thought to change before he managed to look at me. His smile dropped instantaneously.

"I'm so sorry. I'm stupid." I looked away and started to twist my bottle in my hands. I kind of felt like thumping myself in the head with it.

He touched my hand, "It's alright. But you're right. You put up one hell of a fight then too." He smiled but I could always read him just like he could read me. We never needed much to communicate with one another. Some days I loved that about us, other days it was just maddening. This was definitely one of those days I wish we couldn't. This just made my mind rush back to our Valentine's Day.

_The roses I got were beautiful. They smelled fresh and their white pedals made me think of pearls. I loved white roses. Lissa once told me that they symbolized love. Dimitri must have known that fun fact. I popped a chocolate into my mouth from its heart shaped box. It had a caramel center, "Mmm. Try this one."_

_Dimitri laughed, "No more, please! I don't know how you can stand eating so many sweets."_

_I shrugged, "I have a sweet tooth that must be satisfied."_

"_Must be a pretty good size" he mumbled under his breath but just loud enough for me to hear. _

_I hit him with my bear. "Ha ha. Not funny."_

_He hugged me to him, "I was just playing." He kissed my face, "But you should be careful not to eat so many."_

"_Why?"_

"_Have you ever heard about that kid that ate so much chocolate that he turned into chocolate and ended up eating himself?"_

_I nearly choked on the sweets. "What? That's ridiculous. You cannot turn into chocolate." But still I put the box down and wiped my hands clean. _

_He laughed and I could feel it rumble through his chest. I started playing with a strand of my hair. "Dimitri?"_

"_Hmm?" _

"_Did you ever think we'd be like this? Back in each other's arms?"_

_He looked contemplative. He finally smiled. "For a while, I honestly didn't think so."_

_I quickly turned around, "And why not?"_

"_Rose, when I was Strigoi I really thought I'd lose you. That I would never hold you." He looked away, "That you might not love me."_

"_I will always love you regardless. Even when we're long gone and dead, my heart is yours."_

_I could read the distress on his face. "Roza, I was really scared." I pulled him to me and he rested his face on my chest. He nuzzled in my hair. "You don't know what it was like for me not being able to control myself. I'm so sorry."_

_I tightened my arms around him, "It wasn't your fault." I felt my eyes water._

"_I couldn't stop. I felt sick to my stomach from all the things I did. Things that I said." He looked up at me and cupped my face in his hands. "I hated myself for it. For hurting you."_

"_I just wanted to save you." My voice was merely a whisper but it had all the impact in the world. _

_He wiped a stray tear from my cheek and kissed me. "If there is ever a time that you feel you have to save me, please think it through." He pulled me to him. "I don't want to hurt you."_

"_You wouldn't." Even though I spoke the words I wasn't so sure. I hoped he couldn't read my thoughts. I hoped he couldn't see that I was afraid. At one point I really thought I wasn't getting away. He would have turned me if he was given just a little more time. And that thought scared me._

_He saw it there too. This was an unspoken message that both he and I understood. I hated times like these when he could read my thoughts. "But _he_ would."_

I snapped back to reality. Back to the gym and my Dimitri. He was watching me deep in thought. "How goes it on planet Rose?"

His joke was more than a welcomed relief. "Sorry. I spaced out."

He lightly laughed, "Rose, don't worry so much. Enjoy what we have right now." He took my left hand and entwined his left hand with mine. Our rings clinked when they touched.

"I do enjoy it. I embrace it every morning. But…"

"But?"

"But sometimes I cannot help but think about us. What we've been through to get here."

He smiled, "All the more reason to cherish it."

He was right. "I just don't like the way it makes you feel when _it_ is brought up."

"How it makes me feel…"

"The look on your face. I can see it in your eyes." I looked away. "It hurts you, I know that. And I feel so stupid when I'm the one who causes it."

"A big chunk of our past was partly embedded in those times, Roza. It's not your fault."

"But I should be smart enough to know not to dwell in it."

He gently stroked my cheek with the back of his fingers, "You don't have to feel like that. You shouldn't. It's always going to be there. No point in avoiding it."

"But…"

"The more it's discussed the easier it will be to handle when it comes up in other situations."

I looked at him unsure of his words. I was sure he wasn't lying but I felt like he was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince me. "If you're sure?"

"I'm positive."

"Only fools are positive."

He laughed, "I think we've already established that I am a form of fool."

"And why is that?" I leaned against him and rested my head on his shoulder.

He ran his fingers through my hair, "I'm a teacher who fell for his student."

I punched his arm lightly, "Hey, I was very mature for my age."

He laughed, "In more than one way."

I pushed him down on the ring floor and straddled him. "You want to prove that theory?"

He pulled me down over him until our mouths were nearly touching, "If given the chance."

We kissed but then his cell phone went off. He sighed heavily. I looked at it, "I hate cell phones."

He laughed and I rolled off of him. He answered the call, "Hello?"

The conversation was dim. It had to do with paperwork, vacation time, finding substitutes, and such. I blocked most of it out. Too boring for my tastes. He finally hung up. We both just laid there for a few more moments enjoying each other's company.

He propped himself up on his elbow, "Ready to get a hold of Adrian?"

That's a questions I'd never thought I'd hear from his lips, "Yea. I need to call him once I get back to the room."

He stood up and helped me to my feet. "Well, let's hurry. I have a few more things I have to do in a few hours." I nodded in agreement and we set off for the room.

Adrian picked up after the first ring. He seemed enthusiastic to get started at first but once I mentioned Dimitri was going to be joining us he made a groan. I guess he wasn't too excited about that part. He showed up pretty quickly after we hung up. My guess was that he was probably already on his way over.

Dimitri had decided to just be a spectator for now and took a seat on the couch. Adrian was pacing around me again. He stopped. "What emotions have you tried?"

I thought carefully about this, "Anger."

"That was established. What else?"

I shrugged, "I tried love, beauty, and kindness."

"Together?"

"They are kind of related emotions aren't they?"

He shrugged, "Well that's partly true. Those are the some emotions needed for healing." He paused, "Maybe it's a mixture of emotions to trigger your magic."

"Great. I was already having difficulty with just one."

He sighed, "Patience, little dhampir, or we'll never get anything done."

I took a deep breath and released the tension that had built up in my shoulders. "Alright. What do I do?"

He walked around me. "What are you feeling right now?"

"I don't know. Kind of calm I guess."

"Not too in touch with your emotions, Rose?"

I glared at him, "Not on a daily basis."

"Then try one out. Something you'd be use to. Something easy."

Oh, I knew an emotion that I was getting quite use to but it wasn't one that I wanted exposed in front of Adrian. I shot a glance at Dimitri. He knew my look all too well. A smile spread across his face. "There's one…"

"Well, do it."

I closed my eyes and relaxed. I pictured Dimitri's lips. His deep gazing eyes bearing down on me filled with so much desire it made my skin break out in goose bumps. I imagined his hands on my skin and his heavy breaths. I could practically hear him moaning my name.

"Whoa."

I opened my eyes, "What?" I had nearly forgotten what was going on.

"Your aura flared. It looks like intense silver." He looked me in the eye so eagerly awaiting my next words, "What'd you think about?"

I shot a glance to Dimitri who had suddenly become extremely interested in the conversation. "I… I don't know." I could still feel my pulse racing.

"How do you not know? You did it easily just now."

I shrugged, "Desire. Longing. Craving."

Adrian smiled derisively, "Wow. Who would have thought lust was your power?"

I shook my head, "It wasn't lust per say. It was like an undeniable yearning."

Dimitri's eyes grew wide as he realized exactly what I meant. He probably realized what I must have been thinking about. "I can almost feel it coming off of you. Like it's radiating." He took a step towards me.

Adrian put out his hand to stop him. "Don't move. We need her to focus this emotion into a form."

I was getting anxious, "How do I do that?"

"Um, try to push it off into something. Like your stake."

I looked down at my bag. I had packed it to go with me. Ever since Tasha had stolen my stake to kill Queen Tatiana I started keeping it on my person at all times. I took it out and held it tightly in my hands. "You have to coach me. I have no idea how to do this."

He placed his hands over mine. "I'll try to help it flow but there is only so much I can do."

I nodded, "I understand."

"Close your eyes." So I did. "Ok, now what I want you to do is focus your emotion into your core. Try to send it to the pit of your chest."

I could barely manage it but I felt it start to build up. It felt like I had tingles forming in my chest. They started to make it hard to breathe. "I got it. Now what?"

He must have noticed my labored breathing, "Deep breaths, Rose. Try to steady your breathing."

I took in a gulp of air and slowly exhaled. _In and then out. In and then out._ I caught myself mentally coaching myself on how to breathe.

Adrian's grip on my hands gave me a soft squeeze. "Good. Now I want you to send that power out through to your shoulders, your arms, your hands, and finally your fingertips." I focused. But it was getting harder to stay on task. My body felt like it was shaking. "Feel it like a flow of water coursing through you. Let it take its course. Don't force it."

I felt his fingers caress the back of my hands. It helped me to relax from the comfort it sent through me. I could still feel the sting of passion in a ball traveling through my chest. "How do I get it to flow?"

He sighed. I could feel his breath by my ear. "Picture the waterfall. Picture the dream world I made for you. Serenity, clarity, peace. Let the magic run its course."

I suddenly felt it smooth out. It was just like he said. It felt like cool water running through my veins. It sent chills through me but as it spread and traveled I felt my breaths come easier. First it ran through my shoulders, then it slowly made it through my arms. I was growing anxious.

"Just stay the course, Rose. Patience."

Adrian's voice was soothing. It made me calm. I slowly released the anxiety and returned to my peaceful state. I focused once more. I could feel the magic flow into my hands and out the tips of my fingers. Once the tingles were gone I opened my eyes. Adrian stood just a few inches from my face. He had a soft smile that showed just a smudge of pride. "Did I do it?"

He let out a laugh and nodded. He held up the stake. I could feel the intense magic inside when I touched the silver. "Well done."

It felt powerful. The magic radiating from the stake was unknown but it held a strong essence. "What is it?"

"My guess would be a new form of magic. I've never seen anything like this." He took the stake from my hands and examined it.

Dimitri was staring in awe. He walked up to me and brushed a stray strand of hair off my face. "That was amazing. How do you feel?"

I shrugged. "Fine. A little tired but otherwise fine." That was true until I tried to walk. My legs felt like gelatin. I nearly fell but luckily Dimitri was there to grab me. He always seemed to be there to catch me when I fell.

"Easy." His voice was like silk.

I laughed a little, "Wasn't expecting that."

Adrian followed us to the couch. "You need a break after all that." He patted my shoulder as Dimitri lowered me down, "You did perfectly."

"I couldn't have done that without your help."

He waved away the comment, "Naw. Well, yea. I'm not going to lie. You did kind of need me."

I laughed, "Thanks anyway."

He smiled sincerely, "It was my pleasure." He straightened up, "But I must be on my way. I have to go find a reliable source to help me identify this stuff." He patted the stake.

"You're going to tell someone about it?" I wasn't so sure I wanted this information given out just yet. Or even at all. I didn't want to be someone's lab experiment.

"Hey I can only do so much. But don't worry," he must have noticed my stressing over it, "I am going to ask someone who can keep their mouth shut. And I won't tell them where I 'found' it."

Relief swept over me. "Thank you."

"But first I'm going to go rub it in Lissa's face." He wagged the stake and tossed it from hand to hand.

"Adrian, you aren't serious."

He propped up and eyebrow, "Aren't I?"

"Don't do that. Lissa is just celebrating her dream walking accomplishment. Don't be a buzz kill."

He shrugged, "I'm already ahead of her in abilities I just haven't mastered them all yet."

"And how the hell did you manage that?"

"Simple, I have plenty of time on my hands to go over the new abilities we just learned about. We have loads of documents in Hans' office."

I laughed, "You read?"

He picked up his hands in defense, "Hey, it's not like it's for pleasure."

That was for sure. That was a big difference between him and Dimitri. My Russian cowboy enjoys his occasional western novel while Adrian's pastime consisted of his occasional drink and daily pack of cigarettes. "Just let her enjoy her victory before you go and bum her out."

He looked like he actually had to think about it, "I don't know. This is kind of a big deal."

I looked at him pleadingly, "Please. Just one more day?"

He sighed heavily, "Fine, whatever. But just until tomorrow." He saluted Dimitri then turned and walked out the door.

Dimitri laughed, "That was entertaining."

"That's always the case." I threw myself back and relaxed on his lap. He twisted a strand of my hair on his fingers. "I hope he really does leave Lissa alone until tomorrow."

"He will if he doesn't want the wrath of Rose Hathaway brought down on him", he laughed.

"You mean Rose Belikov."

He smiled sweetly and brought his lips to mine, "How could I forget."

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	10. Chapter 10

My day was consumed by practice. Every chance I could get I would try to focus my magic into my core and steady it there until it left me exhausted. This morning I was sitting on my bed with my legs crossed. I realized I needed to be in a clear state of mind if I wanted to stir up the emotions that helped summon the magic. Dimitri walked out of the living room, "Hey, gorgeous."

"Shh." I needed the practice if I wanted to get this down and figure out what I could do with it.

He smiled at me. "Sorry. I'm going to grab something to eat. Want anything?"

"How am I supposed to concentrate if you have me thinking about food?"

He just laughed, "Have you eaten anything?"

My stomach growled loudly. I covered it and felt myself blush. "No."

He sat down beside me and ran his hand through my hair, "You need to get something in you. You need the energy." He kissed my forehead.

I leaned my body against his, "Fine."

"Want anything specific?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "A cheese burger with everything and french-fries."

"That sounds good. I think I'll get the same." He kissed me again and stood up.

I grabbed his hand, "And an ice-cream cone."

His eyebrow rose. "Anything else before I go?"

"Mmm, nope. That's all I want." I flashed him a big smile.

He returned the smiled. "Alright, General. I'll be right back."

He disappeared in to the living so I yelled out, "I love you!"

"I love you more!" he yelled back. Then the door opened and closed.

I always reminded myself that he was too perfect. He always seemed to do the right thing, always wanted to take part in anything, there was never a dull moment. I loved everything about him. He was just simply perfect in my eyes. I don't think I could ever love another man.

I was so lost in thought that I nearly fell over from the shock a rap at the door gave me. I gathered my composure and answered. Lissa smiled sweetly and Christian waved overhead. "Come on in."

Lissa walked in slowly and leaned on the back of the couch. "So, um, have you tried to figure out this new found magic of yours?"

"Don't waste any time beating around the bush, do you?" Christian laughed.

She blushed a little but held her ground. "I'm just looking out for the best for Rose."

"So getting ahead of Adrian means nothing to you?" He was reaching for her but she pulled away.

"Of course not! I just want to make sure that Rose has things under control." She turned her attention back to me. "How have you been?"

I shrugged. "I'm feeling great." I wasn't too sure if I wanted to tell her that Adrian had helped solve half the puzzle to my magic. It might not go over well with her. She might see it as a form of betrayal. We are best friends after all.

"Nothing weird happen lately?"

I slowly shook my head and looked away, "Nope. Just trying to figure things out."

Christian stepped in, "So nobody in peculiar has stopped by to try to help?"

Oh no. He knew something. If anything he knew that Adrian had helped. But knowing how close the two of them were getting I wouldn't doubt that he knew the whole story. I shot him a glare that I hoped signaled him to shut his trap or I was going to shut it for him. "No."

Lissa grew enthusiastic, "Maybe I could help a little?" She was either really sincere or just trying to beat Adrian. Either way I could almost see a halo forming over her head.

"I think I have a hang of this thing. I just want to try this out for myself first."

"Uh huh." Christian was starting to get on my nerves. He would undoubtedly signal to Lissa that something was off if he kept making his stupid remarks.

"Uh huh." Mocking him was the best idea that came to my head. "Anyway, do you guys want anything to drink? Snacks?"

Lissa shook her head and scraped on her finger nails. "I'm fine. I was just hoping…" she sighed heavily. "I was just kind of hoping you might need me. It would be a great way to spend some more time together."

I smiled, "I'm fine, Liss. We can do other things. Normal things."

She laughed, "It's funny."

"What is?"

"Remember I use to crave for some normalcy in life?"

I nodded, "Oh, I remember."

She laughed, "Now I can see why that's nearly impossible for us."

Christian wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him, "Babe, we aren't cut out for the normal life. You want normal? Find a human."

She elbowed him lightly but he still winced, "Who needs normality when I have people like you guys surrounding me?"

I laughed out, "That's for sure."

"Well, if you change your mind, I'm just across the hall." She slowly made her way to the door as if stalling in hopes that I might change my mind instantly.

Christian tried to hurry her along, "But please knock before entering. We may be naked."

Lissa landed a punch to his arm. It made a solid pat sound. He made a face like the hit actually hurt. I was sure that I would break his arm if I had tried to punch him. She gave him a wary look, "At this point in time, I very much doubt those possibilities."

"What that she won't knock or that we won't be naked?"

"You are so irritating!" She stomped her foot and walked out into the hallway. Christian tried to follow her into the room but she shut the door in his face. I just stood watching from my doorway.

He sighed, "Rose, I know." He dropped his head back.

"I know."

He shot me a funny look, "Then why didn't you just tell her?"

"I didn't want to hurt her feelings, Christian. You know how moody she has been."

He nodded in agreement, "True. But do you know how much more worse it's going to be when she finds out later that you not only sought out Adrian for help but lied about it too?"

"Pissed off." She had been going through a thick rough patch right now. Lately she seemed like her fuse was only a centimeter long. I was scared of cracking a joke in front of her because she might take it wrong. Christian didn't have that stop button so he did it anyway. Thus leading to this point of him being shut out of his own room.

He laughed, "I am just saying. You should let her know." He paused, "Before anybody else does."

"Adrian?"

He nodded. "He is nearly dying with anticipation."

"I'm more than sure he is." He was always such a glutton for success not to mention success that came with advancing in spirit abilities. "I'm not too surprised about that."

"Is it true?"

I got lost here, "Is what true?"

"He said he helped you figure out your magic."

I scoffed, "Hardly. He taught me to trigger it and focus it."

His eyebrows rose, "Is that all?"

"I was able to transfer some of my magic into my stake. He took it to get more specifics on it."

He whistled, "Wow. You're a fast learner. Adrian must be doing a good job."

"Adrian?" _What the hell?_ "I did most of the work!"

He raised his hands, "I'm just saying, it takes some patience and control to transfer magic. I'm sure he helped you do it."

I could feel Adrian's hands on mine and I heard his voice echoed through my head, '_I'll try to help it flow but there is only so much I can do.' _"He said he helped it flow through me."

His smile grew, "You didn't do it alone, Rose. Everyone needs a little help every now and then."

"I suppose so." I hated having to ask for help but it was vital that I learn how to use this magic. It could be useful to Dimitri and I on the Strigoi hunt.

He tilted his head and waved his hands in my face, "Rose?"

I shook my head, "Yea, yea."

"You look out of it."

I laughed, "I need something to eat, that's all."

A hand landed on my shoulder, "Did someone say something about eating?"

I spun around and met the brown eyes that made me swoon. "There you are. I was getting worried. I thought my stomach was going to start eating my other organs."

He laughed, "There was a bit of a line." He held up some bags and held two ice-cream cone up. "A little help?"

Christian reached out and grabbed a bag while I took the ice-cream cones. I took in a deep breath. The smell of burgers, cheese, and fries filled my nostrils. I sighed. "Smells good."

We walked in and set the food down. Christian tucked his hands into his pockets. "I should be going now. Maybe Lissa has cooled down and I can go back into the room."

I patted his shoulder, "Good luck with that."

Dimitri looked confused, "Did I miss something?"

He shrugged, "My lady seems to be having some major mood swings. I might have said something that rubbed her the wrong way. Now I'm locked out."

"Oh. Sorry I asked."

I shook my head, "Same shit, different day." I opened my bag and took out my burger. I had barely opened my mouth to take a bite when Lissa walked in.

She looked pissed, "Rose! I can't believe you!"

I looked around, "What? What happened?"

She took the burger from my hands, "Adrian told me."

Damn it. Best just to try to play it off. "Told you what?"

She pointed at me using my burger, "You know very well what I mean!"

"Look, I'm sorry. Sonia suggested that Adrian was the best choice to teach me how to use my magic." I tried reaching for my burger. I felt like she was being just a tad bit too cruel.

She shook her head and pulled out of my reach, "So if Sonia says that I am the devil and you shouldn't be my friend anymore are you going to believe her?"

"What? That's a ridiculous statement, Liss. She was just looking out for the best."

She took a step towards me. "You are supposed to be my friend. You should be able to tell me everything."

By this point both guys had cornered themselves as far away from us as possible. "I thought I could but lately…" I didn't want to continue. It would only hurt her feelings.

"Lately what?" She looked concerned. Like she might just be afraid of what I might say.

"I don't know. Lately you've been kind of moody. Like you cannot handle too much." I looked her in the eye. I wanted her to see that I didn't mean to hurt her but she needed to know the truth. I wasn't the only one who saw it either.

She scoffed, "It's not like I'm made of glass."

"Do you see? That's what I'm talking about."

She shook her head and headed for the door, "You know what? It's fine. I don't even care."She glared around the room. "I don't." She took a huge bite out of the burger and waved it at me. "Do as you damn well please but this is going with me." She walked out and slammed the door behind her.

Christian sighed, "Well, looks like I'm not going home. I'm going to the bar."

"Christian, not now."

"No, I'm serious. This is getting ridiculous." He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I don't know what to do. I try to comfort her, be strong, and take her mood swings as they come but…"

I stood up. I didn't want them to break up. This was getting out of control. The last time they broke up they were both miserable. "Calm down. It's not a big thing." I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'll go talk to her. Besides, I want to get that burger back."

Dimitri took hold of my hand, "Maybe she needs some space. A little time to calm down."

I shook my head, "Lissa knows me. If she really wants me to leave her alone she wouldn't have even bothered coming to my room and stealing my food." I walked over to the door. "Oh, she knows that would get to me." I closed the door behind me before either of them could protest.

I walked to her door and swung the door open. Of course it was unlocked! She expected me to run after her. I walked in and she was just finishing up the last of my food. She had really wolfed it down. She sent me an icy glare and then dusted off her hands, "Too late."

"Liss, stop acting like this."

She crossed her arms over her chest, "Like what? I haven't done anything wrong."

"Stop it! Do you know how crazy you are driving us all?" I couldn't take this. I wasn't the kind to just sit back and let shit happen. I wasn't a victim nor was I a spectator.

She flinched back by the tone of my voice, "What… what I am doing?"

"You haven't been quite yourself lately. Is something wrong? Darkness? Stress?" I grabbed her hands, "Please, Lissa. You're my best friend. We should be able to tell each other anything."

She had a spacy look in her eyes, "But you didn't tell me about Adrian…"

"I know and I'm sorry. I just didn't want to hurt your feelings." I looked away, "You've become fragile. And lately you've been taking it out on all of us. Primarily on Christian."

"Christian?" Her face looked lost. Was she really that out of it? "I have hurt him?"

I nodded slowly. Then it hit me. I looked her over. No charms. "Lissa, where are your charms?"

"I couldn't anymore. I ran out. No more charms. Trinkets that fill me with light to kill the dark."

Shivers ran through me. She was rambling and it scared the hell out of me. I grabbed her wrists and started pulling her behind me back to my room. She struggled, "What do you think you're doing, Rose?"

I nearly kicked the door and both men jumped from the door's impact on the wall. I was almost dragging her now as she made her body limp. I gave a hard look to both Dimitri and Christian, "Move."

They instantly did as I said. I tossed her onto the couch. "Rose, what the hell?" She may have been mad but I was nearly at the tipping point.

"Don't you dare try to chasten me! You lied to me, Lissa. You said you had only missed one day. One measly day without a charm!" I was staring her down so hard I could swear she was starting to cower. But I was too amped up from being upset that I didn't really care. I wanted to scare her. She needed that push and I was ready to hand it to her in full force.

Christian interrupted, "What?" He shot his gaze to her, "You haven't been wearing your charms? What are you thinking?" His face burned with a red glow and his eyes were filled with more worry than anger.

She just crumbled, "I can handle it."

I shook my head, "Are you insane? Oksana has been a spirit user longer than you have been and she still needs charms to stay in balance."

"I may be stronger than them."

"No, Lissa! You're obviously not!" I gestured at her and she dropped her gaze.

Dimitri rubbed my shoulders, "Calm, Roza. She's not herself." I knew he was right. I took in a deep breath and tried to steady my breathing and soften my heart beat. I calmed but barely.

Christian was still too much in distress to really say anything. He finally took in a breath. "How long has this been going on, Lissa?"

She shrugged meekly, "I don't know. A little less than a week."

"A week? Are you sure?" He leaned down to her level and tilted her head up to look at him. "I need to know, babe."

She nodded slowly, "I'm sure." She looked at me. "I stopped when we went shopping for wedding dresses and stuff. I thought I had a handle on it." Christian hugged her to him and ran his hand through her hair. He shut his eyes but the worry creases still played on his forehead. I could see the worry written all over him from head to toe. It was a great display of pure affection from him. I rarely saw this side of him.

"Are you still taking medication?" I asked. She lifted her face from his chest and frowned.

"Yes. But they started to be less and less affective. Just recently it felt like I was popping M&Ms. Minus the chocolate." She smiled from her joke.

I tried for a smile but it felt unnatural. She probably saw it too. "Why didn't you say something, Liss?"

"I didn't think it would escalate this far this fast." She looked at Christian with love in her eyes. "I didn't know. I'm sorry." She buried her face in his chest again.

He hushed her and just held her to him, "It's okay. It's going to be fine."

Dimitri pulled out his cell and quickly dialed a number, "Who are you calling?"

He put a finger to his lips and shook his head, "Hey. We need your help right now."

Whatever the other person said must have been that they were on their way because he said a quick thanks and then hung up. "So who'd you call?"

"Like we know many spirit users?"

At first I thought it might be a tossup between Adrian and Sonia but then I came to the conclusion that Sonia wouldn't. She was pregnant after all and we wouldn't want to cause her any stress. "Adrian."

He nodded, "The only valid choice right now."

"For now." In some small way I blamed Adrian for this. He just had to go and rub the magic sessions in her face. She was probably already on edge but he basically kicked her off. Even if it was unbeknownst to him. But that didn't mean that Lissa wasn't to blame for the most part of it. She should have said something, _anything_ to _anyone_.

It took some time but Adrian finally showed up at our door. I rushed him inside, "Easy, little dhampir. What's the hurry?" He stopped abruptly when I brought him to Lissa.

"She needs a healing charm."

Dimitri stood just a foot from him, "She's in deep. She might need a strong one."

He looked at me with uncertainty. "I'm not too good at making them, Rose. I'm a novice at best."

"But you still know how to, right?" I handed him a simple silver ring I had found in my belongings. It had a few scratches but the small light blue stone still sat embedded in it. It was either that or some cheap looking bracelet I got when I was ten. It had butterflies, bees, dragonflies, and all sorts of insects dangling from it.

He took it and examined it carefully. "I'll try. No promises."

"As long as you try." I felt like I was holding my breath as I watched him clasp the ring in his hands and closed his eyes. He looked like he was concentrating really hard. A small bead of sweat ran down his face and dropped onto his shirt. It made a small wet dot where it landed. He opened his eyes and sighed. I looked down at it, "Done?"

He nodded, "I did my best."

I took it and walked over to Lissa who still was sitting in her own little world of grief. It made me sad to see her like this. I grabbed her hand and tried to slip the ring on her finger. She balled her hand into a fist. "What's that?"

"Trust me. It will help you gain control." She opened her hand and let me do it this time.

I looked to Christian. He nodded thanks and laid Lissa against him, "Just relax. Let it work its magic."

She closed her eyes and just relaxed against him. She took some deep breaths. I wished I had the bond so I could feel if it was working. I didn't doubt Adrian's magic but I wanted to know how far deep she had fallen and how much this was helping.

I decided to take a seat beside Dimitri while we waited. Adrian just made himself comfortable in the armchair. He looked over at me and smiled. He looked vexed too now. I started thinking about my magic. Could it help in these situations?

Lissa sat up suddenly. She looked around at everyone's faces like she had just woken up from a dream. She stopped when she looked back at Christian. "Christian." She touched his face and he cradled her hand there.

He let out a small laugh, "Hey beautiful. How are you feeling?"

She smiled, "Lost. But better, I guess." She began admiring the small ring that sat on her middle finger.

Adrian dropped his head into his hands and let out a sigh. I guess he was worried after all. "Whew. Looks like my job is done here." He stood and started walking towards the door. "I'll see you crazy people later." He sent an apologetic look at Lissa, "No pun intended."

Lissa shrugged, "It's fine. Thank you for your help." She blushed. I'm more than sure that she was embarrassed by the situation.

"No need ma'am. It was my pleasure." He bowed his head and then sent me a glance. "When are we going to work on your magic again?"

I shrugged, "Once we get some idea as to what it is."

"Makes sense." He smiled and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out of the box and put it to his lips, "Just keep practicing the build and flow of it."

"I am." I gestured to the unlit cigarette sitting between his lips. "And that stays off until you exit the premises."

He tsked me, "You forgot what I told you." He turned and lit his cigarette as he walked out, "Above the rules, Rose. I am always above the rules."

What an ignoramus. He just always seemed to do as he pleased and nobody, _absolutely nobody_ told him anything. He was truly above the rules. If only we all could walk around with the same carefree persona he was so good at. I couldn't help but smile.

A hand landed softly on my arm and I instantly realized it was Lissa. She had gotten up and walked over to me. She held a smile that looked so frail that I was afraid of my smile faltering. "He is something else, huh?"

I nodded, "He's something alright." I had plenty of 'something's I'd like to call him myself. But all in all he wasn't such a bad guy. I laughed out loud at the thought.

Christian approached and placed his arms around her. "We should be going. You need some rest."

She nodded, "And I believe I owe you a burger." The words came out clumsily.

I shook my head, "Don't bother. Now I get the pleasure of having my man cook for me." I looked at Dimitri and winked.

He smiled, "If I must." He crossed his arms and a sweet smile spread on his face.

Lissa hugged me, "Thank you so much. I don't know what I was thinking."

I sighed, "Just don't do it again."

She laughed, "Oh, I learned my lesson."

"Oh, you have yet to learn anything tonight." Christian mused. That earned him a swift elbow from Lissa but she quickly placed a kiss to his cheek.

"We'll see." Her tone was sensual and teasing.

"Oh God. Please not here in my room." I really was glad for them but that didn't mean I wanted to hear their dirty talk. Nor did I want to see them make out before reaching their own room.

When the door closed I turned and Dimitri was standing right behind me. I hadn't even heard a sound. He was deadly silent and the look in his eyes made my heart race. "Hungry?"

I nodded. "Dying from starvation." My stomach growled loudly.

I followed him to the kitchen. He made me some spaghetti with meat sauce. Impressively tasty. I was nearly tempted to lick the plate clean.

He stood beside me, "You looking to practice your magic right now?"

I pressed my body against his, "You want to help me?"

He wrapped me in his arms and leaned in and kissed me. The taste of him sent thrills through me and I heard a moan escape my lips. It must have excited him because, as if on cue, he lifted me up and sat me on the counter. I was now at his level without him having to lean over or hold me up. He threw off my shirt and kissed my shoulder, "Any tingles?"

"Just a little." I closed my eyes and let the emotions take over me. I felt him kiss my neck. His lips gently touched my skin and my breaths became heavier. The feelings and sensations were unbearable. I wanted him there and then. I dug my nails into his back and pulled him to me. I wrapped my legs around him to keep him close against me.

He took off his shirt and his skin was smooth and warm against mine. "How about now?"

I was being taken over by the emotions. I tried to center them in my core while enjoying the moment. It wasn't too difficult to do it. "More." The word came out as a moan.

He ran his hands from my arms to my hips and slipped my jeans off. I was surprised at how quickly and easily he did it. I couldn't even feel the clothing. He put his hands on my upper inner thigh. He was so close, so close it made me tremble with anticipation. "Roza." His lips were by my ear and I could feel his breaths against my skin.

Then I felt a sudden familiarity of the power flowing through my body. It was sensational. I was in complete ecstasy inside and out. My body was going crazy with that amazing feeling. I clung to him and pulled him to me. Our lips met and I felt pieces of magic escape from my lips into him. When our lips parted I opened my eyes. He looked stunned. I suddenly realized what happened. I had transferred magic into him. "Oh my God. Dimitri, I didn't…"

He put a finger to my lips, "Roza, was that it? Your magic?"

I nodded, "What was it like?"

He put one hand to his chest, "It was like… I'm not sure. It was incredible."

"Are you alright?" I was still a little nervous as to what kind of effect it might have on him.

He smiled, "I feel perfect." He touched his face and then his chest. "Do I look different?"

I looked him up and down but I didn't see anything. I couldn't but maybe a spirit user could. "We should call Adrian back."

His eyes widened, "What? Why?"

"He might be able to see something that we can't." I touched his bare chest and took in the feel of his warmth. The electricity between us was going like crazy. All of a sudden I didn't want to know about the magic. I didn't care. I was just being pulled to him. Nothing else in the world existed except him. It was like I had been hypnotized.

He grabbed my hands, "Roza, maybe we should get him back here."

I nodded but it didn't even feel like I was in my body. It was like I was watching us from a third party perspective. He pulled out his cell phone and called him. He spoke in hushed tones but I was so out of it that I couldn't hear a word. I was oblivious to my surroundings. All that mattered was him, his touch, his body, and I couldn't help but picture having my way with him. I ran my hands over his body. "Should we put our clothes back on?" My voice was sensual.

He took my hands off of his body and looked at me with a concerned look. "Are you okay?"

I pulled him to me and we kissed. I could feel the magic running through us. I never wanted it to end. I put my lips to his ear, "Make love to me, Dimitri."

I saw his eyes close and he almost looked like he wanted to give in but he was fighting the urge. He pulled away, "Stop. We need to figure this out."

I pouted, "Don't you want me anymore?"

He sighed and raked his hand through his hair, "I want you. I _really_ do but we have to figure this out first." He caressed my face, "Please, Roza. Just be patient."

Adrian walked in. I smiled at him and he looked shocked. "Hi Rose." He walked over to Dimitri and gestured to me. I couldn't hear him. I felt like they were keeping secrets.

Dimitri walked over and draped his duster on me. "Here, Roza. It's cold in here."

"What are you talking about? I feel fine." I tried to take it off but he wouldn't let me.

Adrian pointed to the couch. "Want to take a seat for me, Rose?"

"Mm-Hmm." I nodded a bit too ardently. I plopped down on the couch and propped my feet up on the coffee table. "What's up?" I pointed at Dimitri, "What do you see?"

Adrian glanced at him, "You didn't…"

Dimitri just nodded, "She did. She was trying to summon it and we kissed." He touched his lips seemingly involuntarily. "She accidently transferred it to me."

He looked down at me, "How much? How much did you send into him?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. It was like when water faucets leak. You know that annoying drip. I hate that." I kind of felt ditzy.

Adrian covered his face, "God, Rose. You are just… why can't you just…"

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" I smiled and teased.

Dimitri took a seat on the arm of the couch. He was so graceful. "She's been acting a little like a love sick girl ever since."

Adrian stood up and got both of us in his view. His eyes went wide, "That is just weird."

Dimitri shot up, "What do you see?"

He sighed, "Your auras are linked together."

"Linked? How?"

He picked up both hands and made two circles with his index fingers and thumbs. "These are your two auras, right?" Then he linked both circles together, "This is what it looks like now."

"How did that happen?" Dimitri looked like he was starting to lose his cool. I rarely saw him out of control. The few times he was it included me. I seemed to be the cause of his outbursts. Go figure.

Adrian shrugged, "Best guess is that you guys were about to…" he cleared his throat. "But then something, probably the notice of magic, stopped you in the middle of everything."

I nodded, "Oh, he's good."

Adrian laughed, "She must be really out of it."

Dimitri nodded, "I told you. Like she's all 'giddy' or something."

"I'm in the same room, you know? I can hear you."

Adrian walked over to me and put his hands on my temples. "Try to relax, Rose. Think of peace."

I closed my eyes. I tried to relax but my mind was running like crazy. I couldn't seem to come down from this 'high'. "What if I can't?"

I opened my eyes in time to see him step away with a dumbfound look on his face, "Okay. Well, the only way to break it, and I'm just guessing here, is to finish the job."

I clapped my hands, "We got the answer on how to fix it. Let's get to it, Captain."

Dimitri still looked unsure, "What if that doesn't help?" His voice was starting to waver.

Adrian just shrugged, "we'll figure it out if it comes to that." He walked to the door, "I'm going home to sleep. Let me know if there's progress."

Dimitri shook his hand, "Alright, thank you."

Adrian stopped and looked at me, "Summon the magic before you get started so it will be used."

"I will. Thanks, doc."

Adrian shook his head, "Later."

Dimitri walked over to me, "Do you feel alright?"

I stood up and pulled him to me. I felt strong. Like he wouldn't have been able to fight me off even if he wanted to. "I feel great. Want to see?"

I took his hand and placed it on my breast. I reached up to him with my other hand and brought his lips to mine. It was a fierce kiss. I could feel the fire between us. He was falling into it too. He pulled away, "The magic, Roza."

"Fine." I closed my eyes and felt his touch. It was almost immediately there. At first it was dim but then it was like a light bulb turned on. I grabbed him and pushed my body on his. "I have it."

I could feel it coursing through my body. His lips found mine and I could feel the magic slipping between us. He lowered me onto the bed and I managed to slip his pants off. I took him into me and the magic intensified. Every sensation and touch felt a hundred times more than normal. I could hear moans and groans. I realized they were coming from me. It was like an out of body experience yet I could feel everything. It was extraordinary. Climax after climax was intense. Then I felt the 'high' die down.

Dimitri rolled and laid beside me. "That was amazing."

I laid my head on his chest, "It was extreme." I ran my hand on his body. "Round two?"

He laughed, "You're going to kill me."

"At least you'll die in ecstasy."

He kissed my forehead. "How do you feel?"

"I know I'll be sore in the morning but normal for now."

He ran his fingers through my hair, "Good. Then Adrian was right."

"What did it feel like for you?"

He sighed loudly, "Everything felt like I was on drugs. Kind of like…"

"Ecstasy?"

"Well, I've never done it but probably."

I laughed, "Don't be so shy about it, Dimitri."

"I'm not." He looked down at me, "I have nothing to hide from you, Roza."

"I would hope not." I sighed. My mind rushed back to the magic. What had happened? It was weird that we somehow linked together. Was it because our auras matched up so well? Maybe because we loved each other unconditionally? _Snapped out of it, Rose. This isn't some lovey-dovey smothering love story. This is real._ All the more reason. I slapped my hand to my head.

Dimitri jumped up, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Just talking to myself." Literally.

He flashed me his gorgeous smile, "Go to sleep, Roza. We'll try to figure things out in the morning."

"I don't know if I can sleep. That whole time. Once the magic got to you it was like I was a puppet for some high school girl that was drooling over some hot older guy."

"You didn't say anything."

I shook my head, "I couldn't. I was lost in you." I traced his abs. He had a great body.

He tilted my head up so that our eyes met. "Now you know how I always feel."

I laughed, "Sorry."

I wrapped my arms around his waist and nuzzled. I felt myself falling into sleep, "I love you, Dimitri."

He kissed the top of my head, "I love you more, Roza."

"I love you more than that."

"And I love you mostest."

I felt a smile spread on my face and then darkness took me over. It started off as normal darkness of sleep but then I was pulled into a dream world. Sonia was automatically in front of my eyes. "Hello, Rosemarie. How are you doing?"

I shrugged, "Fine. Getting the hang of this magic thing."

"Good. Adrian has been a help then." She started to walk and signaled me to follow her.

I caught up to her side in three quick strides. "Why'd you send him to help me? Lissa could have helped."

"The queen has bigger problems to worry about. Such as darkness." She shot me a knowing look.

"So you heard?"

She shook her head, "No one had to tell me. I see things more easily. I've had plenty of practice with my magic." She leaned down and smelled a beautiful pink flower, "Sweet peas."

"What?" God I hope she wasn't rambling.

"That's the name of this flower. Pretty little thing, isn't it?"

I admired its simple design. It was pleasant to look at. "Yes, very." She started walking away again. "Now about Adrian."

"He was the easiest pick for you because he cares for you. He knows you well enough to be able to help control that power until you master it."

I grabbed her and turned her to face me, "Do you know anything about it?"

She touched my face, "Rose, you are so pretty. Like a flower. Your name suits you."

I was baffled. "Thanks. But that doesn't answer my…"

"Every flower has an ability to help it survive. Cactus and roses have their thorns. Some secrete a substance that makes you itchy, makes your skin burn, and some that make you sick to your stomach."

"So my magic is like my ability?"

She nodded, "You're smart too." She walked by a rose bush. The purple hue that they held was gorgeous. I rarely ever saw purple roses. "These are one of my favorites." She cradled it in her hand. "Such a beautiful flower yet if grabbed incorrectly," she gripped the stem and a trickle of blood dropped through her fingers. "They will not settle for the wrong touch." She began stroking the petals. "But they are also so delicate. If you touch the petals with your fingers, the oils on your fingers hurt it. It will die quicker than it would if undisturbed." Her face displayed a frown.

I was losing track, "So what you're saying is that even though it can be a defense there is a weakness?"

"There's always a weakness, Rose. Always." She took in one last inhale and then walked away.

"Sonia, I need to understand."

She stopped and looked me in the eye, "But you do. You already know."

The world began to fade and turn black. She was gone in the blink of the eye. I cursed to myself. I needed answers and the only ones that could help me were two people that were nearly out of their minds. I was running short on time and patience. We were leaving tomorrow and I still didn't quite understand anything about my power. I kept my running mind at bay by calming my nerves. I needed rest for what was to come.

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	11. Chapter 11

The world I woke up in was chaotic. I was still a little unsure if Dimitri and I should leave just yet. Lissa was in a delicate state, Adrian was my only mentor, Christian needed back up with Lissa, and I was more than sure that the guardians could use an extra hand around Court. I raked my fingers through my hair trying to make a decision. I was always a procrastinator when it came down to a split decision.

Dimitri sent me a smile from across the room. He just finished packing our bags and looked like he was pretty eager to leave. He walked up to me and leaned his long body over mine. I felt dwarfed from sitting on the couch. "Almost ready?"

I sighed, "You don't think we're rushing into this?"

He laughed, "We kind of are."

I stood up and straightened, "You're supposed to tell me, 'No, Rose. We are doing the right thing.'"

His eyebrows rose, "So you want me to tell you what you want to hear?"

"Yea, that would be nice."

He hugged me to his chest, "Roza, if you feel like this is something you have to do then do it. Don't regret anything."

I breathed him in. He smelled like aftershave, soap, and I could smell his natural scent. It was intoxicating. "I do. I really do feel like this is something that _needs_ to be done."

"No regrets?"

I shook my head, "None."

He kissed my head, "Then stop stalling and get to the task." He gently pushed me towards the bags. I bent down and grabbed one that looked pretty heavy. Maybe the weight would keep my mind preoccupied. He walked up behind me and took it out of my hands. "I'll get the heavy stuff. Just relax." He passed me two small bags that felt like they probably only carried tissue inside.

"I can handle it." I reached for the big bag again but he pulled out of my reach.

"I never doubted that you could but maybe you should rest up a bit. We have a long day ahead of us." He adjusted the bags' straps and started for the door.

I sighed heavily, "Why must you always be so difficult?"

He stopped and looked down at me as if I asked some bizarre question, "I'm difficult? This coming from the girl who fights me on _everything_."

I scoffed, "I do not fight you on everything."

"You're doing it right now."

"Am I just supposed to hold my tongue whenever I have an opinion?"

He shook his head, "No, Roza but it would be nice to be able to do something, _anything_ without you contradicting it."

I looked him dead in the eye, "Well sometimes what I have to say is important."

He forced a laugh, "When was the last time you complained about something to better the situation?"

My mind raced to find a memory. For some reason I couldn't quite pin one down. But I always had an ace up my sleeve. "How about when we escaped? My idea was to help Lissa by finding her long lost sibling, find the real perpetrator that killed Tatiana, and all in all clear our names." I smiled smugly, "You didn't want to until we had no choice."

He sighed, "That was just because I hadn't gotten my rhythm back yet."

He started walking again so I followed, "Excuses! You just told me to name a time and I did."

"Alright, then name a time you did it when we were together again."

I kicked a rock at him and it bounced up and hit his leg, "That doesn't count!"

He laughed, "Why not?"

"Because half the time we were together and the other half we weren't." I looked at the carpet's designs. They had changed once we hit the first floor. It was about to cut off once we reached the lobby. White and blue tiles covered that part of the building. "Besides, I would have fought with you about it either way."

"True. I guess I have to give you that one." He precipitously stopped.

I looked around him trying to see what the reason was. Christian and Lissa had been sitting in the lounge and were getting up to approach us. I waved at them, "Hey."

Lissa rushed up to me and hugged me, "You two have fun."

I hugged her back, "We will try."

She pulled away and gave me a scornful looked, "You better stay out of trouble."

"Who me?"

Christian laughed, "Lissa, trouble follows Rose wherever she goes. It's like her shadow."

"It's both a blessing and a curse." I tossed my hair over my shoulder.

Dimitri looked at me, "How is it a blessing?"

I took a fighting stance, "Because then I get to show off my awesome fighting skills."

Lissa just shook her head, "Just stay out of trouble _if_ possible."

"I will." I gave her a reassuring smile hoping she couldn't read my thoughts.

Dimitri shook hands with his charge and Lissa gave him a hug. He looked like he was actually going on a honeymoon. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me to his side. "Ready, darling?"

"Ready when you are, honey."

Christian gave us a weird look, "Okay… Well we are taking our leave now." He took Lissa's hand.

She allowed him to lead her but she looked back at us from over her shoulder, "I love you both! Stay safe!"

We both waved and I took a mental picture. They were perfect for one another and I hoped that I would be able to come back to see them again. We kept our more than pert smiles on our faces. When they were finally out of sight I looked up at him. He looked like he was deep in his thoughts. He looked down at me and sent me a grin. "Come on, Roza."

I just nodded and followed his lead. We had just stepped out the doors when a voice called out from behind us, "Hey you two love birds. Not going to say goodbye?"

I turned and saw Adrian with a lit cigarette in hand. He pushed off the wall with his shoulder and walked up to us. Dimitri spoke first, "Didn't know if we'd see you before we left." They shook hands.

"I'm more than sure Lissa and Christian got to you already." He pointed to the doors. "They've been waiting for you guys for a while now. I got tired of sitting."

I hugged him, "I think you just wanted an excuse to smoke a cigarette."

He shrugged, "What can I say? You caught me."

We laughed, "You be good while we're gone."

He looked me over, "You too. And keep practicing that magic."

"Like I'm the type of person who slacks off."

Dimitri laughed, "Only on school work."

"I meant when it comes to the field work." I nudged him.

Adrian smiled and I hoped that I could bring that picture of him to mind when we were gone. I was going to miss his charm, wit, and sarcasm. I always enjoyed our little chats so long as they got to a valid point. Otherwise he was just trying to get on my nerves purposefully. Those were still fun conversations too.

He flicked his cigarette and stomped it out. Smoke streamed out of his lips and he looked at the ground, "I hate to admit it but I might just miss you guys."

"Likewise." Dimitri smiled and gave a slight bow with his head. "We have to be going."

"Tell everyone bye for us and we will see them all soon." I almost felt like a ball was forming in my throat. I wanted to tell someone about our mission but knowing him he would tell Lissa. I decided against it.

He bowed his head, "Of course. Goodbye, little dhampir."

"See you later, Adrian."

He turned and walked inside. Dimitri took my hand and squeezed, "Let's go."

I smiled meekly. He probably saw the guilt on my face. We weren't lying to our friends but we weren't being 100% honest. I walked along beside him in silence for a while. When we reached the plane words finally found me, "Are you ready for this?"

He nodded, "Till the end." My hero.

We boarded and I dropped my bag in the compartments above our heads. They had quite some space so we were able to fit most of it in there. The rest was strapped down in the back of the plane's aisles. It was a small plane so it wasn't too far away. I took a seat by the window and looked out. The Court ground looked empty. Everyone was indoors. Every now and then someone would walk out of one building only to enter another just seconds later. Dimitri sat beside me and took my hand in his. "Having second thoughts?"

I shook my head, "Only trying to capture my last looks on our world here. I'm going to miss the tranquility."

He pulled me to him and ran his hands through my hair, "We will be back. Don't worry."

"It's not a definite deduction. We could die."

He forced a laugh, "Optimistic as always."

"Just stating a possibility." I rested my head on his shoulder. "But I am hoping for the best."

He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. It was a huge comfort with just a simple gesture. He rested his head against mine. He took a strand of my hair and started twisting and untwisting it on his fingers. The trip was pleasant. It felt like time was slipping by pretty fast. I would fade in and out of sleep but most of the time we either spent our time playing games, talking about home, making our strategies, or he was helping me to practice my magic. We stopped only once to refuel. We didn't bother to get off. I preferred the comfort of the plane's atmosphere.

We landed in Siberia late in the day. We had a car waiting for us when we landed. I watched the scenery as we drove to Baia. The trees and grass were green and lush. The sky was dimming into a sapphire blue and the stars were starting to appear. I looked over to Dimitri. He was looking forward, intensely focused on the road. I was certain that he had his mind somewhere among the thoughts of battle and strategy. It was still a huge deal that we only had certain scenarios ready. We'd just have to improvise on the battles that were out of the ordinary.

We pulled up to his house. He looked over at me and sighed heavily, "Here we go."

I smiled at him. He looked happy to be here again. I opened my door and followed close behind him as we advanced to the door. He knocked and someone answered just a few seconds later. It was Olena. She smiled wide, "Come in, come in!"

Dimitri hugged her and they spoke in hushed tones while I took in my surroundings. It always smelled good when we opened the doors to their home. It always made me hungry though. I felt my stomach tighten and growl. Both of them shot me a look so I wrapped my arms around my stomach, "Sorry."

Olena laughed and waved away the apology. "Don't worry. The food is almost ready and you both are more than welcome to eat."

Dimitri smiled, "We were hoping we might be able to stay the night as well. We'll get a room tomorrow."

"Не будьте глупы, you can stay here as long as you like," she smiled so brightly that it lightened my mood.

"Thank you, Olena."

She shook her head, "You can call me мама. You're family now after all." She cupped my face and brushed a kiss to my head. She was such a sweet woman. It was times like these that I wished my mother had been like her. But I loved mine too. She was definitely rough around the edges but she made me tough. And I was grateful for that.

Dimitri smiled and I could see he was filled with joy. I was nearly feeding off of the emotion when I started getting tingles in my chest. Magic? My face must have shown the unexpected feeling because Dimitri pulled me aside, "What's wrong?"

I put my hand to my chest, "I feel something…"

"What?" His eyes were so intense. They kept shifting from my face to my hand.

"I'm not sure. It almost feels like the magic." I put my hand down and tried to breathe slowly. Maybe I could make it go away.

A hand grabbed my shoulder and tugged me down. Yeva was staring me right in the face. She jabbed my forehead with her index finger, "Вы должны дисциплинировать себя перед развязыванием этого, ребенка."

I wobbled back from how hard she poked me. I rubbed my head, "Ow." I looked at Dimitri. "What the heck was that for?"

He shrugged, "She said you need to learn discipline before unleashing it."

My eyes went wide. I stared at her knowing face. Of course she knew. She somehow always knew. "I wasn't trying to unleash it…"

She sighed, "Но Вы не были в контроле также."

That part I understood. Dimitri had used that same line on me when I didn't control my moves when I was practicing. "I don't know how to control it really. It's relatively new."

A smile grew on her face, "Хорошо видеть что Вы практиковали мой язык."

Now I was lost again, "Okay. I only know a little because of Dimitri. I have no idea what you just said."

She laughed out, "Тогда я предлагаю, чтобы Вы продолжали практиковать."

"I always enjoy our little conversations." I sighed and shot Dimitri a glance. He had a smile on his face that was so big it nearly reached from ear to ear. "It's great to see that you're enjoying this."

"I just find it entertaining."

I threw my hands up, "Great. That's just wonderful. Well I'm going to eat. You and grandma can stay here and catch up." I started to walk away when Yeva's hand grabbed my wrist.

"You are in too much of a hurry, girl."

I shook my head, "I like my pace."

She released me, "Then don't complain when you lose something you didn't take time to enjoy when you had it."

That froze me in my place. What the hell did that mean? Was she just trying to scare me? No. She wasn't the type to just say anything. When she spoke her words were because of something she saw. "What am I going to lose?"

She frowned, "Something fragile. Something simple."

Dimitri glowered. He looked down at me and my heart sank. What was it that I held that was so fragile or even simple? Nothing in my life was simple!

I couldn't even enjoy my food because I was too busy wracking my brain for answers. I wished she would stop being so damn mysterious and just say straight out what it was. Maybe she didn't know exactly what it was. Maybe it was just clues. I was snapped out of my world when Viktoria shook me, "Rose! What is wrong with you?"

I shook my head, "I'm fine, sorry." I straightened out. "I just have a lot on my mind." I ran my hand through my hair.

She hugged me, "I missed you both so much. I didn't get to see you before you guys had left last time."

"I know. I'm sorry. We were in a bit of a hurry."

She stepped back and tapped her nails together, "So, how long are you staying this time?"

I shrugged, "For a while I guess. But we're getting our own room at a hotel."

She sunk down, "Oh. I was hoping you would stay here."

"But we'll come by and visit often. Just call me when …"

She jumped in, "That would be great. I'll call you when I get time off and have time to hang out!"

She was certainly the animated one in the family. "That would be fun. Can't wait."

Paul ran in from the back door and stop when he spotted us, "Hello uncle Dimka and aunt Roza." He hugged Dimitri's legs.

Dimitri rustled Paul's hair, "Hey Paul."

"Did you bring me anything?" He looked expectedly at him.

Dimitri's smile almost faltered, "I, uh…"

"Yes, we did." I nudged Dimitri.

Paul's smile grew, "What is it? Where is it?"

Dimitri held his smile but barely, "Yes, Rose. Where did we put it?"

I reached into my bag and pulled out a box of cars. I had bought it at Court when I had gotten my shoes. Luckily when I saw them they reminded me of Paul. I handed the box to him and his face beamed. "I hope you like them."

He opened the box and pulled out one that modeled a Firebird. It was black with red flames over the hood and on the doors. He examined it carefully. "Wow. This one is really cool."

Dimitri relaxed. "Rose picked it out." He nudged me back and I lost my footing. I bumped my hip on the corner of the small table with a lamp on it. Without even thinking I reached out and caught the lamp when it was just inches from hitting the ground. Everyone was starting at me.

Paul jumped up, "You're really fast."

I stared at my hands. How exactly had I done that? I didn't even remember seeing the lamp falling. I felt normal. No adrenaline, no tingles, just normal. Possibly it was my awesome ninja skills making themself known. I slowly put it back on the table and stepped back.

Olena walked in oblivious to what had just happened, "Who wants dessert?"

"I do, бабушка!" Paul ran into the dining area without a second thought. If only we all could be so carefree. I was too stuck in thought to even fathom the thought of eating. Even if it was dessert.

Dimitri turned me to him, "Are you okay?"

I was hearing this question way too much. It made me feel weak. Like people had to constantly worry about me. It wasn't without reason but I still didn't like feeling weak. I nodded, "I feel fine."

He cupped my face, "You'd tell me if something was wrong?"

"Yes." In the back of my mind I wasn't so sure of my answer. I would _want_ to tell him but sometimes my pride got the better of me.

He took my hand and started leading me into the dining area. There was a strange looking thing sitting on my plate. I had never seen it before. It resembled a small white dome with pieces of strawberries on top. I poked at it with my spoon, "What's this called?

Dimitri laughed, "Paskha." He pointed at my plate, "Try it. It's good."

I scooped up a bit and smelled it. It smelt liked cream cheese. It even tasted like cream cheese. It reminded me of cheesecake. I nodded, "This is actually pretty good."

Olena laughed, "It's tradition to make it for Easter but I like to make it every now and then. It's Paul's favorite."

Viktoria scoffed, "I think it was Dimitri's favorite first."

I looked over to Dimitri who was too busy enjoying his paskha to notice the conversation. My guess was that Viktoria wasn't kidding. I tapped the edge of his plate with my spoon. He looked a little startled, "Enjoying your dessert?"

His cheeks flushed, "I just rarely get to eat it. It used to be one of my favorites."

I laughed and took a spoonful into my mouth. It was _really _good. I know I'm not a food critic but I could give this a ten. Then again I'd give anything that tasted good a ten. "I think it's going to be one of my favorites as well."

"I can teach you how to make it." Olena was leaning on the table looking intensely at us.

I nodded, "I would like that."

We spent the rest of our night telling stories around the living room and finishing up the last of the paskha. We would all laugh when Paul would start acting out some of his own stories. This kid had a really big imagination.

We all said our goodnights and retired to our bedrooms. Before heading up stairs I felt like I needed a breath of fresh air. I stepped out into the night air. The backyard was vacant except for Paul's toys throw everywhere. I pushed a small toy train with my foot towards a large pile of toys. It crashed and hardly made a noise. I sighed heavily and looked up at the night sky. What had I gotten us into? Was I even prepared for this mission? I felt like I doubted myself.

"What are you thinking about?"

I turned and saw Dimitri standing right behind me. I was so lost in thought that I didn't even hear him step out behind me. "Nothing. Everything."

He wrapped his arms around me, "You worried?"

I gripped his hands and squeezed, "I'm just not sure if we're fully ready for this?"

His arms tightened, "I don't think anyone can be fully prepared for something like this."

I shook my head, "No, but they could be better prepared."

"Roza, you said so yourself that this was something you had to do." He turned me to face him.

"What if I was wrong? What if I am rushing in too fast?" I couldn't even look him in the eye.

"Are you scared because of what Yeva said?"

I nodded, "That and because a part of me agrees with her."

He lifted my chin and forced me to meet his gaze, "She is not always right, you know."

"She is most of the time."

He swept a strand of hair off my face. "But she can be wrong."

"She hasn't been so far." I was starting to be such a downer that I didn't like my own opinion.

He held me to his chest, "I won't let anything happen to you, Roza. I'd do anything to protect you."

"But what if you're the one that needs protection? Am I strong enough to save you?" I buried my face into his chest. God, how I loved his scent.

He ran his fingers through my hair, "You've always been strong. I've never doubted that."

"So you'd trust me to save you?"

He sighed, "I'd lay my life in your hands willingly."

Although the words were meant to be comforting they scared me too. Would I be strong enough? Could I save him? "What if I can't?"

He forced a laugh, "Are you doubting your awesome fighting skills?"

It was a more than welcome joke. It helped relieve the tensions. It brought a smile to my face. "Do you really think I have awesome skills?"

"Of course, I was your teacher after all."

We both laughed. It was one of those moments that I always appreciated. It made me grateful to have a love like ours. We both walked back into the house and up to our room. Once again it was made up neat and tidy. Olena always kept an orderly house. Dimitri laid back on the sheets and I dropped down right beside him. He took my hand in his and pressed it to his lips.

I stared at the ceiling. It was all I could think to do at the time. I had too many thoughts coursing through my mind to look anywhere else. I'd start to imagine things if I tried to look out the window. And I would picture the worst if I stared at Dimitri. "So when do we start the hunt?"

He pulled me to him, "Tomorrow. We'll get started tomorrow." He pressed his lips to mine and I felt all my worries fade into nothing. He was the cure to my troubles. With one kiss he could clear my fears, soothe my pain, erase my doubts, and make the world seem like a better place.

I fought sleep that night but like always my fatigue won. First the darkness swallowed me whole. I felt like I was sitting in a black room with a dim light coming down on me from miles and miles away. I reached out to it and suddenly Adrian's face appeared.

He gave me one of his lazy grins, "Hello, little dhampir."

"Adrian. What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, "Bored I suppose."

I smiled, "You just love to mess with me, huh?"

"You offer the most entertainment."

I laughed, "Nice to know."

He started walking so I joined him. "How's the honeymoon going?"

"Great. We're having a blast. I even got to try this dessert Olena made. It's called paskha. Tastes like cheesecake." I looked around. There was no scenery whatsoever. It was just a white endless room.

"Sounds good. Bring me some when you get back." Every step he took caused an echo to reverberate off the walls.

"Olena's actually going to teach me how to make it."

His smile grew, "So the food lover is actually going to learn to cook."

I nudged him, "Hey I can cook."

"Ramen noodles don't count." We laughed. "So how's the magic training going?"

"I haven't gotten to practice too much but I did on the flight over."

He nodded, "Anything new?"

I started to shake my head but then I remembered the sudden tingles and my crazy fast speed to catch the lamp. "I'm not too sure. Maybe."

He stopped walking, "What happened?"

"First I started getting tingles in my chest out of nowhere. I hadn't even summoned the magic."

"How long before that had you been practicing it?"

I shrugged, "A few hours."

He nodded, "What else happened?"

"I nearly broke a lamp but just before impact I caught it."

He looked puzzled, "But that's not too suspicious."

"I didn't even notice the lamp until it was in my hands."

His eyebrows rose. "Okay, maybe it was just instinct."

"But if it was instinct wouldn't adrenaline have been released? Shouldn't I have had some kind of rush?"

"Did you?"

I shook my head, "No. It was just normal. Almost like I had blacked out for the moment I moved to grab the lamp."

He placed his chin between his index finger and thumb. "Perhaps it's a side effect from the magic. Your reflexes may be enhanced."

Maybe he was right, "Could be." I started pacing.

"Rose."

I looked at Adrian. He was looking at the sky then his eyes dropped to me.

"Rose, wake up."

The last picture I saw was Adrian waving to me. Then my eyes shot open and I saw Dimitri's face. I grabbed his hands. "What? What is it?"

He put his fingers to my lips, "Shh. There's something out there." He gestured to the window.

I sat up quietly and started walking towards the window. Dimitri was right by my side. Suddenly a shadow swept by. It was fast. The only thing that I knew moved that fast was Strigoi.

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	12. Chapter 12

I was holding my breath as we both approached the window. I could feel the intensity sparking in the air. I reached out to open the window and Dimitri grabbed my hand and gently pulled it back. He shook his head and signaled me to get back. Although I really didn't want to I did what he said. He reached up and quickly slid the window open. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Dimitri turned his head to look at me and shrugged.

In a split second a hand reached in and grabbed his shoulder. Whatever it was it pulled him right out the window! "No!" My heart nearly jumped out of my chest as I leaped out after him. We were on the second floor so it wasn't too high of a jump but still enough to cause a spike of pain through my weak ankle. _Damn it!_

I looked up in time to see a Strigoi straddling Dimitri. I lunged at it and knocked him over. We rolled a few times before I landed on top. It was a young man. His features were scarred but he held a slight sadness in his eyes. It was only a momentary glance before I decided on landing a few punches to his face. He reached out and I felt his nails slice at my face. I did my best to ignore the stinging pain as I continued the onslaught of raining punches. Then he sprung up to my face and bared his teeth. It made me flinch a second and that's all it took. He threw me off like I was a paper weight and I landed on a pile of Paul's toys.

I was left a little dazed but I quickly regained my composure. My side felt like someone had took a shovel to it. I sucked it up and ran at the Strigoi again. Dimitri beat me to him. He slammed him against the wall and I could have sworn that the impact should have crumbled the Strigoi. But Dimitri held him up by his shoulders.

Dimitri looked over his shoulder, "Rose!"

I reached to my side to grab my strake. Only it wasn't there. The temporary replacement stake I had brought with us was still sitting in my bag up stairs. But then it clicked. I ran up to Dimitri, pulled out his stake and plunged it into the Strigoi's chest. His body stirred but then quickly went limp. His body slumped to the floor, lifeless.

Dimitri spun me towards him. He cupped my face in panic, "Are you alright?" He touched the spots on my face that I was sure the Strigoi had caught me with his nails.

I nodded slowly but I wasn't so sure. I looked down to my ribs and a long gash was dripping my blood unto the ground. I covered it with one arm. "I'm hurt."

He lifted me up into his arms and started at a fast jog inside. "Кто - то, помогите мне!"

The next thing I saw was Yeva and Olena coming down the stairs. Both their faces showed shock. Dimitri gently laid me on the couch. He brushed my hair back with his fingers and I could nearly feel his hands shaking. I grabbed his wrists, "I'm okay."

Olena moved to Dimitri's side. She gave him reassuring look, "Don't worry. It's not serious." He nodded and stepped back to let the women do their work.

Yeva had some towels over her shoulder and Olena held a large bowl. I wasn't sure what was inside of it but it stung like hell when it made contact with the wound. After a thorough examination of the cut Olena took out a large needle and what looked like fishing line. She took a small bottle and placed small amounts of the substance on the lining of the cut. It must have been some glue because it stuck close. Then she threaded the needle and started sewing the wound closed. It was pretty numb from the earlier pain inflicted. It took her about ten to fifteen minutes to finish up.

Yeva came to my side and handed me a small shot glass, "Drink this. It'll help with the pain."

I took the shot and my throat and chest felt as if I could breathe fire. I let out a cough, "Holy shit! What was that?"

She laughed, "Some Russian vodka."

I shook my head. I should have known when she handed me the shot glass that it was going to be something like that. She wasn't the most tender or delicate of grandmas. "Thanks."

Olena wiped her hands in the bowl and used a towel to dry them off. She sighed, "You should heal up quickly. It wasn't too deep and it didn't hit anything serious."

Yeva poked my head, "Вы неуклюжая девочка. How did this happen?"

Dimitri answered for me, "A Strigoi attacked us. He must have somehow injured her during the fight."

"A Strigoi? When did you fight a Strigoi!" Olena's voice was high and loud.

He looked to the ground, "He was outside our window."

"What happened to him? Is he still out there?"

"No." I tried to prop myself up but I was still a little wobbly from the vodka and the pain. "We took care of it."

Yeva sighed loudly and threw her hands in the air, "Вы привлекаете невезение. Это как твоя тень."

Olena gave her an icy glare, "Enough, mother."

She just walked away mumbling Russian to herself. Olena rolled her eyes and looked down at me with sympathy. I laid back, "What'd she say?"

Olena shook her head, "Nothing important."

I looked at Dimitri, "What did she say? I want to know."

He sat beside me, "She says that you have bad luck following you like a shadow."

I scoffed, "As if I didn't know that already."

He smiled. "Maybe someone's wishing ill on you." He dabbed my face with one of the towels. It stung from the medicine but he blew gently on it. It soothed and he caressed my face.

"How bad does it look?"

He traced his fingers on the cuts, "It gives you character."

I laughed, "Awesome. Now I have some battle scars."

That brought a smile to his face. "The ones on your face probably won't leave a scar. The one on your ribs is another story."

He took out a few bandages and covered the cuts. Once they were padded down it didn't feel as bad. He helped his mother carry the stuff to the kitchen. I could hear them talking to one another in there but I couldn't make out the words. It wouldn't have been any help anyways. They were most likely speaking Russian. Lucky me.

Dimitri returned. "I'm going to go get you a pillow and blanket."

"Great. I get to sleep on the couch."

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I'll be right back."

He ran up the steps pretty fast and was back down within minutes. He tucked a pillow behind my head and covered me from my chest down with the quilt that was on our bed. He kneeled beside me and it wasn't until then that I noticed the dry blood on his shoulder. He was wearing a dark shirt so I hadn't seen it before. I grabbed him pulled him to me, "You're hurt."

He looked down at the blood stains, "It's nothing serious. He just cut me when he pulled me out of the window."

I moved the shirt out of the way and revealed a good sized cut. It didn't look deep but I'm sure it hurt to some degree. I touched it and he flinched, "Does it hurt?"

He shook his head, "Not really. Just stings a little."

"You need to get that cleaned." I tried to reach out for a towel but he laid me back gently.

"You don't need to do anything. I'll just jump in the shower and clean it out."

I let his shoulder go, "If you're sure…"

"It's fine." He took my hands into his and ran his fingers over the backs. He circled his finger around my ring. "And how are you? Are you feeling better?"

"Much better thanks to Yeva." I pointed at the shot glass that sat on the table beside us.

He lifted it up and smelled it, "Whew. She gave you some of the strong stuff."

"Oh yea. I could have told you that."

He laughed, "Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"But what if they come back? What about the body?"

He hushed me, "I'll take care of it. You just rest." He leaned in and graced me with one of his kisses. It melted away every stress and sadness. Every evil thought was eaten away by a light that Dimitri always brought to my soul. I hoped he wouldn't pull away.

Our lips finally parted and he rested his head on mine, "I love you, Roza."

"I love you."

He pushed off the edge of the couch and stood up. "I'm going to go take a shower."

"Try not to drown!"

I heard him laugh and then I heard his footsteps get further and further until I couldn't hear them anymore. I sank back into the couch. It was pretty comfy. I couldn't really complain about discomfort. The only thing that was still bugging me was the fact that there was a dead Strigoi laying in the backyard and there may possibly be others lying in wait. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. I tried to close my eyes to sleep but I found no rest. My mind was wondering and I just couldn't unwind.

It felt like hours had passed by the time I heard a door open and close. I heard footsteps on the stairs. I tensed up ready for anyone. I just hoped it was Dimitri. I felt myself suck in a breath of air as a shadow crept behind me. A hand touched my face and I automatically grabbed it.

"It's just me, it's me." Dimitri kept his voice at a whisper.

I loosened my grip. "You scared me."

He sighed, "I can tell. You have a good grip."

"Sorry." I settled back in to the couch's cushions. "I can't sleep."

He ran his fingers across my cheek, "Too anxious?"

"I feel like something big is going to happen soon." I breathed heavily. "Sooner than we may be expecting."

"You're starting to sound like my grandmother." He forced a laugh.

I pushed him, "Whatever. I'm just saying."

"I know. But it's probably just nerves. Try to relax."

"That's the thing. I feel like I'm on edge." I lower the quilt to my stomach and lifted my shirt. The stitches were starting to feel sore. I gently touched them. I could barely feel my touch but it felt sore nonetheless.

"How are those treating you?" He gestured to the stitches.

I shrugged, "Can't complain. They're keeping the blood in and the skin together."

He laughed, "Always looking at the brighter side."

"Always." I sent an overly done smile at him. I pointed to his shoulder, "And how's the wound doing?"

"I cleaned it and clothed it. It wasn't anything serious." He looked at me with amusement in his eyes, "Like I told you before."

"Alright, I was just making sure my husband is okay."

His smile turned sweet, "And I'm just reassuring my wife that there's nothing to worry about."

I looked down at my hands, "Not until tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" He grabbed my hands, "No, you are in no condition to be hunting Strigoi down."

I squeezed his hand, "It's not that bad. Really. I can do this."

"Roza, please. Just rest for now. We can start when…"

"No, Dimitri. I have to do this." I looked him dead in the eye. "What am I supposed to do? Wait for them to come hunt me down again? What if they take your family as bait? What if they come in the house next time?"

The worry and hurt in his eyes were obvious. Even when he looked away I knew the same thoughts had crossed his mind. "You think I haven't thought about that?" His gaze bore into my soul and left me nearly breathless, "I just have to stay on alert. We can wait it out."

"I'm tired of waiting and always being on guard for their attacks! It's getting to the point that if you won't go with me now then I will go it alone." I forced him to look at me, "Wounded or not."

He raked his hand through his hair, "I'm with you, Roza. I just wish you would rest up first. You need your strength if you're jumping head first into this."

I cupped his face, "I'm fine. It's not that bad. Just sore."

I shut his eyes, "Fine but if something happens to you…"

"Nothing bad is going to happen." Okay. There were a few things that could go wrong but I had to keep my spirits up. I had to be the strong one.

He nodded, "I trust you, Roza." He put his lips to mine and I was at peace. He slowly stood up and our hands slid across one another until only our fingertips were in contact. "Good night."

I smiled at him. I hoped that it looked brave, natural, and sincere even though on the inside I felt like I was getting ready to go to war as a wounded soldier. "Good night."

He walked up the stairs and disappeared into the darkness. I tried to relax. But my blood was still pumping. I would find no rest tonight. I calmed my mind and steadied my breathing. I pictured Dimitri and saw love in his eyes. It became more than love. It grew into desire, wanting, longing. I felt his hands touch my body and trace every curve. Then it happened. Tingles started to form. I focused them into my chest and it felt like I held light. I was growing use to the sensations. I was about to make it flow through me like I always do during practice but then it occurred to me. What if I tried to send it to my wound? The curiosity was starting to eat at me. So I gave in.

I thought about the open gash, my ribs, the pain and then tried to send the magic directly to it. At first there was nothing. It just felt like I was pushing it into my stomach's walls but then I felt like someone sedated me. The soreness and pain began to fade and it felt like a tingling numbness. I opened my eyes and looked down at the sewn cut. My eyes widened as I gaze down at a light that was leaking through the stitching. I was tempted to touch it but a little voice in my head advised me against it. _Where were you when I started this whole experiment?_

Blood started trickling down my side but there was still no pain. I felt like panic was starting to take a hold on me. I could barely catch my breath but I knew better. If I lost control where would the magic go? I couldn't risk it. I calmed down by taking in deep breaths and picturing a serene environment. I saw Adrian's dream world appear in my mind's eye. I felt my breaths come easier and my heart beat slow.

I suddenly heard steps coming from the staircase. I looked up in time to see Dimitri making his way in with a blanket and pillow in hand. "Hey, I thought you might like some company." But then he came to an abrupt halt and dropped the articles. His eyes went wide as he stared down at my body. "Rose…"

"Don't. I can handle it."

He walked over to me and kneeled beside me. "What did you do?"

I gave a small shrug, "I tried to send it to the wound. I just wanted to see what would happen."

He shook his head and ran his hands briskly through his hair, "Well, now you know."

I shot him a glance, "I can handle this."

He reached for it but stopped, "How does it feel?"

"Like nothing. It's just numb. No pain or anything."

"But you're bleeding." He touched my skin just above the light. "Can you feel that?"

I nodded, "Yea. But not the wound."

He sighed, "What is happening then?"

"I'm not too sure."

"Not too sure? I don't think you even have a clue."

Harsh. "Okay so I have no clue. It was just an experiment."

"I suggest you put it to a stop now." His eyes were still intensely focused on that one spot.

"Alright. Just give me a moment." I closed my eyes and searched my body until I touched the magic. I started to release it. It felt like water flowing through my abdomen. I sent it back around until it was back at my chest. Once there I did the normal route and sent it out through my hands. I relieved it into my necklace Lissa had given me. I had worn it every day. I opened my eyes and Dimitri looked more than relieved. "What?"

"It stopped."

I looked down at my wound. The blood had stopped dripping out and the wound looked just the same. Only now there were a few small openings where the stitches held. Dimitri reached down and picked up a towel. He pressed it gently to my wound. "Are you okay?"

I felt dumbstruck. I couldn't find any words. "It's still numb."

He gave me a puzzled look. "You can't feel that?"

I shook my head rapidly, "No, it's just numb."

He traced the cut with his fingers. "Can you feel that?"

"It feels like you're touching my skin but there's no pain." I reached down and touch it as well. I could feel the cut with my hands but I didn't feel any pain or discomfort coming from it. "It's almost like there's no injury."

"But there is. We can see it." He gestured to my ribs.

"I know but that's how it feels."

He placed his hand on his forehead, "What does this mean? It's a pain killer?"

I shook my head, "I don't think so. Did you see the light seeping through?"

He looked at me like I asked an outrageous question. "Of course I saw it! I'm sure if anyone walked into the living room they would have automatically seen it."

"Maybe it is like a relative of spirit magic."

He shook his head, "It looked kind of gloomy though."

"What do you mean?"

He shrug, "I mean when I saw it I felt sadness. Like it was emitting a melancholy vibe."

"Melancholy?" I had a hint of amusement in my voice. What can I say? It just sounded like an amusing word coming from his lips.

"You know what I mean." He was clearly not as amused.

I let a small laugh escape, "Okay so we're dealing with a gloomy light."

"Right. But that still doesn't help."

I nodded. "Right." I ran my hand over the wound once more. "You don't think…"

He shot me a curious looked, "What?" I started picking at the stitches. He quickly pushed my hand away, "What are you doing?"

"I just want to see something." I started at it again.

"Rose, don't!"

But he was too late. I had picked it clean. And the wound stayed shut. "It's shut."

"By the glue."

I shook my head, "No, look at the inside." I pulled some of the skin back, "You can see where it sealed off."

He looked into it. Definite shocker. "It's… that's not possible."

"It healed on the inside."

He touched it, "So you healed yourself."

"Not intentionally."

He forced a laugh. "This is insane."

"I wonder if I can heal others." I gave him a sly look.

He noticed, "What, me? You want to experiment on me now. Great. That's just perfect."

"Nothing major." I took his hand, "Just a scratch."

He sighed, "Now?"

"Why not?"

"You just used magic. You don't think you need to rest?"

"Why are you being such a wussy?"

He gave me a stern look, "You're banter will not sway me."

I lowered myself to pouting. "Please?"

"Roza, not tonight." He touched my face and I was comforted. "In the morning we can test it. Deal?"

I nodded, "Fine."

He smiled, "Get some sleep. You need…"

"I know, I need to rest." I fluffed my pillow and looked back at him. "Were you really coming to sleep in here with me?"

He leaned down and planted a kiss to my cheek, "Anything to be near you."

He walked over to his pillow and blanket and laid them out beside the couch. I hung my hand off and he traced his fingers over my palm. "Have I ever told you how perfect you are?"

He laughed, "Nothing compares to you."

I felt my heart flutter. This is exactly what I needed after a hard day of Strigoi slaying. I shut my eyes and felt rest take over me. Finally. It was peaceful until I noticed the surroundings. I was standing in the Court's spa. Adrian was lounging back on a chair. He had sunglasses on, most likely designer. But I was surprised to find him in a plain white shirt and some swim trunks. "Hello, little dhampir."

"Just couldn't resist, could you?"

He gave me a lazy grin, "Resist you? Are you insane?"

I shrugged, I'm not to sure anymore."

"Ah. Well then you'll be happy to hear I have news about your magic." He sat up and smiled big.

My jaw nearly dropped, "Really? What'd you find?"

He gritted his teeth, "You may not like the answer."

"Why not?"

He stood and walked over to me, "Perhaps you should have a seat." He put his hands on my shoulders and started leading me to his chair. He forced me down when I resisted. "Sit."

I growled, "Spit it out already."

"It's not of our world."

I froze. "What do you mean?"

"I took the stake to the one person I felt we all could trust. Sonia."

I nodded, "Of course, and?"

"She says it's from'the other side'." He slid his finger across his throat to get the point across.

I nearly fell off the chair, "What?"

"Yea so I suggest you try not to actually use it."

I shoved him, "A little late for that!"

I took the shove and quickly bounced back, "What did you do?"

I threw myself back, "I tried a little experiment…"

"On what?"

"Me. I had got into a fight with a Strigoi and he wounded me."

He looked lost, "Strigoi? They attacked you?"

"Just one. Dimitri and I took care of him."

"What was the experiment on?"

I shrugged, "The wound."

"Are you crazy?"

I flinched, "How many times are you going to ask me that?"

He started pacing. "What happened?"

"It sort of healed on the inside."

He stopped, "It healed?"

"Yea, there was light escaping from the wound and then when I stopped it I examined the cut. It was sealed on the inside."

"Light? What kind?"

"Dimitri said it made him feel sad. Like it had a 'melancholy vibe'." I even did air quotes when I said Dimitri's line.

He shook his head and just dropped his hands. "Well now I'm set back again. I don't know how the hell you did that."

"Neither do I. I wasn't even trying to heal myself. I just wanted to see if there was going to be a reaction."

He forced a laugh. "Have you ever heard the expression, 'Curiosity killed the cat?'"

"I'm pretty sure it would work better if it said it killed the mouse."

"Rose!" Why didn't anyone find my jokes amusing lately?

"Sorry."

He sighed, "Any side effects?"

I started to shake my head but then I stopped, "Oh, um, it went numb."

"Numb?"

I nodded, "Yea, no pain, no discomfort. Nothing. It feels almost normal aside from the obvious visual wound."

He started his pacing again. "I'm going to have to talk to Sonia about this." He stopped and pointed dangerously close to my face, "And you stay out of trouble. No more magic for now."

I shot up from my seat, "You can't be serious."

"Oh, I am dead serious, Rose. Don't mess around with it. It could be dangerous."

I sighed heavily. "Fine but just know that I am doing it against my will."

He nodded, "Noted."

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	13. Chapter 13

I woke feeling anxious. I touched my newly 'healed' wound and found that it wasn't just a dream. Last night had really happened. I turned and looked over the edge of the couch. Dimitri was still asleep. He always looked so peaceful. I reached down and ran my fingers through his hair. I love his hair. His eyes opened instantly and he smiled at me. "Good morning beautiful."

I smiled back, "Good morning handsome."

He stretched, sat up and leaned towards me, "How are you feeling?"

I shrugged, "Can't complain."

He pointed to my side, "How about that?"

"No pain."

"Huh. So you feel fine?" He looked like he could hardly believe it.

I nodded, "I feel great." I swung my feet around and tried to stand but instantly felt a jolt of pain in my ankle. "Damn it!"

He sprung up faster than the word probably left my mouth, "What happened?"

"My ankle. I forgot about it." I reached down and rubbed it.

"Your ankle?"

"I guess I hurt it when I jumped out of the window after you."

He touched it and started probing it. "Does this hit?" He gently squeezed a spot and I flinched.

I compulsorily whined, "Yea."

He finished up by smoothing his fingers from the base of my calf to the sole of my heel. He sighed, "It's sprained."

"Uh! If it's not one thing it's another!" I threw myself back into the couch.

"I guess this means no hunting?" It bugged me that that statement made him look overly hopeful.

"Oh no. We are doing this."

"And how do you suppose we do that? You're going to be limping with that sprain."

I raked my hand through my hair, "Maybe I can…"

"No magic, Rose." He already knew what I was going to say. I hated times like these that he could finish my statement.

I crossed my arms over my chest, "So what do you suggest we do? Wait?"

He leaned back against the couch and sighed, "No. I know that's not an option for you."

I nodded and shrugged a shoulder, "Right, so?"

"So the next option is going to see Oksana."

I shot him a warning look, "We can't. I won't ask her to heal me."

He shook his head, "Rose, don't start please. Sonia even said that it was a simple thing to heal. It's nothing big. I'm sure Oksana would do it if you just ask her."

"But that's the thing. I don't want to ask her."

He gripped my shoulders, "Rose, I'm not asking. If you're going to still go ahead with the mission hurt you'll be putting both of us in danger. Is that something you want?"

I looked away. I knew he was right. I nodded slowly, "Fine. We'll ask her."

He sighed and pulled me to him, "Thank you, Roza." He buried his face in my hair and I felt him breathe deeply.

I squeezed him to me, "I don't know how you always manage to change my mind."

He laughed, "Because you love me. And you know I'm right."

I pulled away, "You're not always right."

"But for the moment I am." His smile was slightly smug but even that didn't mess with his gorgeous looks. I drank him in.

We found Yeva in the backyard watching Paul run around. "Бабушка, нам нужно поговорить с вами о увижу Оксана."

Of course she knew we were up to something. "What for?"

We exchanged glances, "Well, we were hoping she might heal Rose's ankle. She sprained it."

"Чушь, that's something that can heal by itself with time." She turned her back to us.

Dimitri placed his hand on her shoulder, "Бабушка, please. We don't have time."

She turned with a sly smile playing on her lips, "Почему такая спешка?"

"Бабушка…"

She shook her head, "Don't think me a fool! I know you're planning something. Something very dangerous." Her eyes shot to me.

"Please, Yeva. We need her help." I wasn't afraid to beg.

"Why?"

Dimitri took in a deep breath and began spilling out our plans to her. She didn't even seem a bit surprised when Dimitri revealed we were hunting down Strigoi. She just smiled and nodded. When he was done explaining she pointed at me. I stared her down, "What?"

"Небрежное девушка, this was your idea."

I looked down at my feet. "Yes. I would rather go after them before they go to me or any of my love ones."

"Brave. Stupid but very brave."

I shot up, "So you'll take us to Oksana?"

She leaned forward and looked at my swollen ankle, "It shouldn't take much to heal that."

If that wasn't a 'yes' I don't know what is. We packed a few things and started out the door to Oksana and Mark's home. The sun was out and beaming down on us. I could see the lighter pieces of brown in Dimitri's hair. If I was first looking upon him I would have been awe struck. The golden colors did wonders for my skin as well. I'm already a good looking girl so I know I must have looked radiant in this atmosphere. I even caught Dimitri sneaking glances at me as we walked. Well, they walked. I did more of a limping hobble but I did my best to walk straight.

We finally made it to the front door and Yeva didn't even knock. She just walked in and we found Oksana in the kitchen making something in a big pot. She turned and smiled, "Hello Yeva. I didn't know you were bringing guests."

"They followed me." She smiled and let out a laugh.

Oksana shook her head, "You both are welcome here."

I stepped forward, "Well, we kind of came here to ask a favor of you."

She picked up a towel and wiped her hands in it. "Okay, what seems to be the problem?" She looked me up and down.

I stuck out my foot and signaled to the ankle, "Just a sprain."

She kneeled, "That shouldn't be any trouble. Come, let's sit." She led me into the living room and we sat on the long couch. She propped my leg up on a pillow. She examined it and probed it the way Dimitri always did. She had a very gentle touch which wasn't completely unexpected. "Are you ready?"

I nodded, "Yea."

She cradled my ankle between her hands and closed her eyes. She concentrated and I suddenly began feeling the hot and cold sensations. I let it smooth over until they stopped. My ankle nearly instantly stopped throbbing and even the swelling went down. "All done."

I examined the ankle. It was completely fixed. "Good as new. Thank you."

She smiled, "It was nothing. Very simple. Why did you want it fixed in such a hurry? It could have healed in a few days."

I fought through my mind for an excuse. "We are planning to do some physical stuff and I need my foot."

She nodded, "Well, in that case I completely understand." She smiled at me sweetly, "If you ever need me I am here. Even for the small stuff."

Just then Mark walked in with a basket full of fruits and vegetables. "Oh, hello. I didn't know we had visitors."

Dimitri shook his hand, "Hello Mark. We were just stopping in to ask your wife a favor."

He looked at Oksana, "I'm more than sure she did." His smile was sincere.

Oksana shrugged, "It was just a sprained ankle."

"Huh. That's not anything big. I was sure Rose had gone through a near death experience again from what Yeva tells us."

I shot a glance to Yeva. She seemed to be in her own little world but I knew she heard him, "Really? I didn't think I was that hazard prone."

Oksana scoffed, "Don't mind them. He's just teasing."

Dimitri laughed, "Pretty good guess."

I elbowed him, "I am not that bad."

"Bad luck follows you wherever you go." Yeva pointed at me and poked my forehead. I hated when she did that. She had very boney fingers and it always hurt. I'm sure that I had a red dot where her finger jabbed.

I rubbed my head, "I may have some runs with bad luck but it's not like it's my shadow."

She forced a harsh laugh, "It might as well be!"

Dimitri scowled at her, "Бабушка, that's enough."

She just threw her hands in the air and started making her way to a chair on the other side of the room, "Я стараюсь говорить правду, и я получаю за это наказывали. Я не знаю, что вы, люди ожидают от старухи."

Oksana smiled and shook her head, "Yeva, we're always glad to hear what you have to say it's just that sometimes you tend to be a little tough."

"The toughest path always leads to the smoothest destinations. It's the right way." She huffed and sat back.

Dimitri placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, "I'm sorry. You know how she can be."

I placed my hand on his, "I know. But you don't have to apologize. I can take it." I sent him a wink.

He smiled, "If you think so."

Mark inhaled loudy, "Something smells good."

Oksana's eyes went wide, "The stew!" She quickly turned and ran into the kitchen.

Mark laughed, "I guess I'll take these to her." He lifted the basket and patted the side. He disappeared through the kitchen doors.

I leaned against Dimitri, "I guess this was a good idea."

He brushed back my hair with his fingers, "I think you're just saying that because that stew smells good."

I laughed, "No, I really mean it. Now we can go on with our plans as soon as possible."

He continued to run his fingers through my hair, "Where do we head to for our first scouting?"

"Saint Petersburg would be a nice start." He nodded in agreement.

"What's in Saint Petersburg?" Mark walked in with two bowls in his hands. He set them down on the small table. "Careful. They're hot."

Dimitri shrugged, "We're just going to go sightseeing for a few days before heading back."

"Oh, there's plenty of gorgeous buildings and scenery that you would love. True art and beauty." He said the words with such longing it really made me want to go.

"I've only seen it from a distance. I took a quick tour through the Winter Palace once but I'm sure there's more to see."

Oksana walked in with two more bowls, "It's just lovely, isn't it? Yeva, will you be joining us?"

She got up relatively quick and walked over, "I would be a fool to say no to your cooking."

She smiled sweetly, "You flatter me." She set the bowls down and walked back into the kitchen.

I leaned over and smelled the contents in the bowl. It smelled delicious. I swirled the spoon through and saw bits of beef, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, baby corn, green beans, and tomatoes. The soup itself was deep golden brown color. I saw Dimitri inhaling the scent as well from the corner of my eye.

Oksana walked back in with her own bowl and sat between Mark and Yeva. I was lucky enough to be stuck sitting next to Yeva. Thankfully her attention was focused on the stew rather than giving me the evil eye. Once Oksana took her seat we all began to eat. I had to blow on mine to cool it down but Dimitri just ate spoonful after spoonful. I couldn't understand how he could do it. It would have burned my mouth for sure. Once I was done with the meat and vegies I lifted my bowl to my lips and drank down the warm soup. It made my chest warm up.

I wiped my mouth, "Thank you, Oksana and Mark. That was wonderful."

"Why, thank you, Rose." She began gathering the bowls from the tables and taking them into the kitchen. Mark stood and helped her.

Dimitri and I sat back and waited for our hosts to return. Yeva had already made her way back to her chair. I looked over to Dimitri, "Are you just about ready?"

He nodded, "Yea, it's about that time we should be going."

Oksana and Mark entered again. She smiled, "It was a pleasure having you over."

Mark had acquired a piece of jewelry and handed it to her, "This is something we want you to have. Just in case."

Oksana held it gingerly and she shut her eyes. I noticed a slight purse to her lips and I knew what she was doing. When she opened her eyes she sighed lightly and handed me the charmed bracelet. "It will heal you but it's not too powerful. Maybe a cut or a sprain."

"That's perfect. Thank you." I placed it into my pocket as gently as I could.

Oksana gave me a hug, "Just try to be careful wherever you go. And don't put it on until you really need it."

Mark shook our hands, "And I believe Dimitri has our number on his phone if you need a bigger problem fixed."

"I believe I do." He took out his phone and looked through it, "Yes, I do."

Yeva walked over and gave hugs to them both, "Еда была очень вкусная. Я надеюсь увидеть вас обоих в ближайшее время."

They nodded and spoke in unison, "Скоро увидимся."

Yeva smiled and started for the door, "Come on. Don't lag behind, копуши."

Dimitri and I smiled and waved as we made our exits. He took my hand in his as we stepped out into the cooling air. It felt fresh. I loved the weather here. He looked me in the eye and I felt my heart rush. He had that effect on me and it would never get old. I felt the sparks between us and it made me giddy. He ran his fingers over my cheek and I saw his eyes follow his touch.

I took his hand and gently squeezed, "We need to be going."

He nodded, "Alright." He adjusted the bags over his shoulder and we started walking behind Yeva.

We all stopped as we approached the bus stop and Yeav turned to us, "This is where we part ways."

Dimitri hugged her, "Я люблю тебя, бабушка."

She closed her eyes and embraced him. When they parted she cupped his face, "Я люблю тебя. Вы заботитесь друг от друга. Возвращайтесь домой в безопасности."

He nodded, "I will."

She grabbed me unexpectedly and hugged me, "You better take care, Roza. I'm counting on you to bring him back to us again."

"I promise I won't let anything happen to him."

She pulled away, "And you. You're part of this family now too. I expect to see you again alive and well."

I felt my heart get stuck in my throat, "I will."

She simply nodded, turned, and was on her way. We watched her disappear into the distance. Dimitri grabbed my waist and pulled me down to the bench beside him. "Are you nervous?"

"More like anxious."

He laughed, "You know there's no guarantee that we will find one today. We're doing the hunting."

I shrugged, "I know but we're actually doing this. It's exciting."

"You are the strangest woman I will ever know."

I scoffed, "Not nearly as strange as grandma Yeva."

"Just as much but in a different way."

"What?"

He laughed out, "Look at you. Who gets excited about diving head first into a dangerous situation?"

I scoffed, "A necessary dangerous situation."

He raised his hands in surrender, "All I'm saying is that it's not a typical thing for young women to enjoy."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a very typical young woman." I tossed my hair over my shoulder.

"Tell me about it."

I jumped out of my seat, "Who's there?"

Alek emerged from the side of the benches. The small wall was enough to shield him from us. "Nice to see you too, Rose."

"Alek? What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, "I'm almost always here. I go back and forth from here to the city all the time."

I sat back down beside Dimitri, "Well a warning would be nice next time."

"I didn't mean to startle you… again." He slumped over and rubbed his forearm.

Dimitri gave me a small nudge and gestured to Alek. I could take a hint. I patted his back and sighed, "I'm not mad just agitated. I'm on edge."

He smiled slightly, "Thanks." He looked like he tried to relax but he always seemed to have this constant tension built on his shoulders. "Um, I am kind of surprised to see you back here. You know, after everything that's happened."

I laughed, "If you think that could keep me away then you don't know me at all."

"She craves danger." Dimitri laughed.

His smile became more natural, "Sounds dangerous."

Dimitri wrapped his arm over my shoulders, "It's always a risk to be near her but it's an adventure."

I kissed his cheek, "You love it."

We laughed but it seemed like Alek was more embarrassed to witness the scene to let out even a chuckle. He tucked himself away and just kept on his friendly smile. He cleared his throat, "So, um, where's Viktoria in all this?"

Dimitri's eyes shot to his face, "How do you know my little sister anyway?"

Alek looked away, "We go to the same school."

"Yea, they have History class together, right?"

He nodded, "Yea. Lately we've talked during lunch."

I shrugged, "No surprise there. You did help us out when those Strigoi attacked."

He blushed, "It was just luck that we ended up walking to the same bus stop and I saw them ambush you."

Dimitri nodded slightly, "That's some pretty good luck."

There was a weird vibe coming off of Dimitri. I wasn't sure if it was due to the protective nature he felt from being a big brother or because he found that luck to be more than mere coincidence. I broke the silence, "Well, to answer your question, Viktoria isn't with us because we are heading to Saint Petersburg to celebrate our honeymoon."

"Honeymoon? You two got married?" He didn't look too surprised but he did sound a little amazed.

"Yup."

"And you decided to come to the place where there are creatures hunting you down?" He was looking at his hands, weaving and unweaving his fingers together.

I glanced at Dimitri. He noticed the implied message too. "Well, we are going to do more than just celebrate the honeymoon."

He smiled again and nodded, "I figured. You're going to get them before they get you. Is that it?"

My eyes widened. This kid did think a lot like me, "Pretty much."

He turned towards us but his eyes kept shifting from us to the ground, "Do you think you could use an extra hand?"

Dimitri's eye went wide, "You want to join us?"

He nodded, "Yea. That's kind of my thing anyway."

I looked him up and down. He didn't exactly look like the Strigoi-hunting type. "Don't get me wrong kid but in what way is that your kind of thing?"

He shrugged, "I get paid to hunt down and kill Strigoi by contract."

"What?" My voice was barely a whisper. "By who?"

"My family finds the jobs and I do them. I'm just naturally good at it." His eyes rose and stared me down, "You've seen me in action. You've seen what I can do."

I shook my head, "I actually didn't get to see much. I blacked out before you took out that huge guy."

"But I did take him out. You cannot deny that I am good." He was coming out of his shell. It was almost like when he got courage he became a whole other person. One moment he was shy and pretty much antisocial but then the next thing we know he's full of energy and speaking with such airs that he's completely confident.

I scoffed, "Alright, you're good. And you did kind of save my life but we don't know what we are going to encounter. We couldn't put you in that kind of harm."

"Why not? My family does it all the time. Plus I could help you find their locations." He sat up straight and pulled out a map from his pocket. He opened it and pointed at different colored marks on it. "These are just a few locations of known killer Strigoi."

"All Strigoi are killers." Dimitri's voice was dark.

He shook his head, "No. There are a few that keep to themselves in the shadows. They feed on animals in their isolated area. But they do tend to take out some people that wonder into their territory."

"So you mean to say that there are Strigoi that can sort of keep it under control." My eyes were practically glued to his. I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

He searched the map a moment and then jabbed his finger down, "There. That's where they stay. We don't bother them and they don't bother us."

"It's not control. It's that they don't go venturing into your part of the city." Dimitri held his stone guardian look. He was good at playing it off.

Alek nodded, "They fear the hunters."

I looked puzzling at him, "The hunters?"

"People like us."

"Strigoi don't feel fear."

He forced a laugh, "Tell them that."

Dimitri laughed out, "You seem to have this all figured out then."

"Not completely. I have to work alone which means I can only take out two at a time at the most. And that's if they are mediocre." He folded up the map and pocketed it.

I was seriously thinking about his proposition of joining us. Would he follow even if we denied him? I looked him up and down. He was fast and strong plus we thought a lot alike. We could use him but it didn't feel like it was my place to put him in that kind of danger. "I'm still not too sure about this."

He looked hurt, "What's there to think about? You need me. I can be a huge help to your cause."

"I agree."

I shot Dimitri a sharp look. "What are you saying?"

He smiled, "I'm saying that he's right. We know he's good, he's obviously capable of helping us get this done more quickly, and we can use all the help we can get."

"So you're willing to put a kid in harm's way?"

"I'm not a kid. I am turning eighteen in just a few months. Besides, I am mature for my age."

Dimitri's eyebrows rose, "Doesn't that remind you of someone?"

"Stop it! Both of you!" I looked at Alek intensely, "Do you know what you're getting yourself into?"

He ran his fingers through his hair, "I know what I am doing. I just wish you wouldn't look down on me. In just a few months I will be a full fledge guardian too."

I sighed heavily. He had a point. And man, he was good. I shook my head, "I can't believe I am saying this…"

His smiled went wide. "Thank you so much. You will not regret this."

"I better not." I rubbed the back of my neck.

He clasped his hands together. "So where do you want to start?"

Dimitri nodded, "Saint Petersburg. We think that there's a group there that is associated with the group that attacked Rose and Viktoria."

"And that's just from a hunch."

Alek pulled the map back out and went through the streets relatively fast. He looked like he was tracing his fingers over a spot that might have been of interest. "There are a few groups in this particular area that hunt at midday. They have gotten a rep for hunting down young women."

A knot formed in my throat. This topic disgusted me. I could only imagine how Dimitri felt having been one of them. I looked at him to see if it showed on his face. If he was feeling anything he was doing a pretty good job at hiding it. I placed my hand on his shoulder, "What do you think?"

He placed his hand over mine, "I say let's go for it."

I felt the excitement bubble up inside me once more. This was actually going to happen. I looked between both men as the bus approached and came to a halt. We could do this. I believed. We loaded our belongings and took our seats. Dimitri and I sat towards the back so Alek followed and sat in the seat in front of ours. He hung his arms over the back of his seat and smiled at us like an excited child going to Disney Land.

He began drumming his hands on the back in a rhythm that started getting old fast, "So how did you two meet?"

Dimitri and I exchanged glances, "It's a long story."

He looked around, "We obviously have time. We're going to be 'working' together for a while."

Dimitri laughed, "I was her Guardian instructor."

"Really?"

I nodded, "Well that's not exactly how we met." I spun my wedding ring around my finger, "A friend and I had run away from our academy. My friend just so happened to be someone very important."

"And I am the one who tracked them down and caught them. Rose of course tried to put up a fight but she was weak…" He stopped himself from going on. He knew how people thought of dhampir who let Moroi feed on them. It was dirty. It made you a blood whore.

He gestured for us to go on, "And?"

"And then I was punished for 'kidnapping' the princess. Dimitri became my teacher and I was punished by having to spend extra time training and doing extra school work." I smiled proudly, "I quickly caught up and even surpassed my class."

"With a little help from me. But she was a natural." Dimitri looked down at me with a smile full of pride. "Strong in both body and mind."

"Ah ha." Alek's eyes jumped from face to face. "So you fell for your student and you fell for your teacher…Isn't that illegal in our world?"

"It's frowned upon." Dimitri just smirked.

I shook my head, "We didn't actually act upon our feelings right away. It was complicated."

"Oh, this is getting interesting." He shifted his position and looked eagerly at us. "Did you all, you know, mess around?"

I shook my head, "I am not that kind of girl."

"Many people thought that you were." Dimitri looked away. "Rose is a very pretty girl and some of her past boyfriends tended to stretch the truth a little."

"Well, how did you know that she wasn't lying about it?" He flinched back once he noticed my icy stare. "I'm not saying you were 'like that' but I mean he trusted you enough to believe your side. That's pretty cool."

I nodded, "True. I guess we just get each other."

Dimitri nodded back, "We've been through much together and it has only strengthened our relationship. We tend to be able to almost read each other's minds."

"Aw. So who purposed?" He propped up his chin in his hands.

I laughed, "Dimitri did. It was very sweet."

"How'd he do it?"

Dimitri laughed, "You're very curious, aren't you?"

He shrugged, "I just like hearing people's stories. I don't have too many good memories of my own."

My smile dropped, "I know. I've heard about your parents. What happened?"

He kept his grin but I could tell it dropped his mood, "They were murdered in our own house, and I was asleep in the next room."

My hand covered my mouth, "I'm so sorry."

He just shrugged and made a slight frown, "No need. It's not like you're the one that killed them."

My jaw dropped. How could he speak so casually about his parents' deaths? "I suppose not. But did anyone ever figure out who did it?"

He shook his head, "They guessed Strigoi but I have a feeling it was someone else that wasn't Strigoi. At least not until they killed them."

I shut my eyes. This was just too much. Someone had killed his parents to become Strigoi. That was disturbing. I just couldn't look him in the eye. I felt Dimitri place his hand on my face. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, "That's just… it's sick." I opened my eyes and saw the line of liquid forming in my eyes. It blurred my vision. "How could someone be so vile?"

He pulled me to him, "Some people see it as their only way out of life. A way to get away from pain or fear of dying."

"It's not right." I buried my face in his chest.

Alek cleared his throat, "I'm sorry if I upset you."

"It wasn't your fault. It's not like you killed to become a monster, right?"

He forced out a laugh, "Right. Anyway, I woke up and waited for them in the kitchen. When an hour passed and they still hadn't emerged I stepped outside to see if they had left early. But their car was still there." He sighed, "So I walked to their room. Half way there I noticed some drag marks on the floor and walls made by blood. I just followed them." He wiped his face with his palms, "My mom was lying on the bed with her throat ripped out. She had her eyes closed and she was in her nightgown. I can still remember her long blonde hair thrown over her face and spread across the bed." He looked out the window. "My father was right in front of the door. His throat was also ripped out but he had wounds everywhere. His face was covered in slashes, his chest, and I swear if they had cut any deeper his insides would have been spilling out." He buried his face in his arms. "I was only a kid. They probably didn't even know I was there."

I felt Dimitri's embrace on me tighten. He ran his hand over my hair and I felt him inhale sharply. "You were spared. Just be glad you're alive."

"I am. Every day I am grateful to still be breathing. I was sick with myself for a while after that." He leaned back on the seat and started falling back into his antisocial mode.

I looked at him and pondered on his last comment. Curiosity always got the best of me. "Why?"

He sighed, "Because when I found them I was more glad that I wasn't them. Instead of being terrified or tormented by the sight I was just relieved it didn't happen to me." He looked me in the eye, "What kind of person does that make me, Rose?"

Shock hit me like a slap in the face. I didn't know how to answer that. Would I have felt the same if I had witnessed that? Does everybody think that first and then sadness for the deaths later? What would be the first natural reaction? "I think we all react differently. It doesn't make you a bad person to be glad that you're alive."

He let out a soft laugh, "You would think so? Because the rest of my family doesn't." He looked out the window, "They don't mind me going on suicide missions because they don't care what happens to me. I am the sad reminder of what happened that day."

"And that makes them the cruel ones. Not you." Dimitri had patted his back. "Nobody that jumps in to save another person's life can be evil. That's something rare."

He smiled, "Thanks, man."

The bus came to a sudden stop. Alek stood up and looked to the front. He ruffled his brows. "What the heck is going on? We still have some ways to go."

"Maybe they are picking someone up", I suggested.

"Out in the middle of nowhere. We already passed the last stop a couple of miles back." He looked forward and then at us, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to check this out."

Dimitri grabbed his arm, "Be careful. Signal us if something's up."

He nodded, "Alright."

He began his walk to the front. We saw him talking to the bus driver and the driver kept signaling out the door. Alek took one look and his eyes went wide. He was definitely looking at something that startled him. And not too much seemed to do that.

I stood up and ran towards the front. I could hear Dimitri following close behind me. When we reached him he put up his hand to stop us before we could get in view with the doors. "Don't." He said it without moving his lips. A talent I had yet to master.

Dimitri kept his voice just at a whisper, "What is it?"

He did the same technique but some of the words sounded funny, "Starwing Strigoi".

"What?" Now my voice was just above a whisper.

He repeated his last statement, "Starwing Strigoi."

_Starwing Strigoi? What the hell did that mean?_ I looked at Dimitri, "Are you getting any of this?"

"Starving Strigoi." His words were hushed. "There are starving Strigoi outside of our bus."

"What does that mean for us?"

He gave me a worried looked, "Do you know how an animal acts when they have been deprived of food and then someone dangles a nice juicy steak in front of them?"

"They go crazy for it…"

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	14. Chapter 14

I could hardly breathe with so much pent up pressure. I was tempted to lean forward to get a peek at the Strigoi. I had never seen a starving Strigoi before. I kept looking from Dimitri to the door. Alek was like a statue. He was steady and still in his place. It even looked like he was trying to blink as little as possible. I grabbed Dimitri's hand and tugged. I leaned my head towards the door and he shook his head. I wanted to be on the offensive but he wanted to play it safe. I didn't understand it. We usually always had the same instincts but now he was pretty much siding against me. I looked at Alek. His gaze had shifted to us. He probably noticed the small action I indicated towards Dimitri.

"Don't." His lips didn't move at all. He was good at that. If he knew how to throw his voice he'd be a decent ventriloquist.

"We have to do something." I was staring him down with the fiercest look I could manage.

"Not yet."

Was he really trying to plan something or did he already have a plan? If he did I wish he could have had a way to signal it to us without being so obvious. I looked around and slowly moved back. Dimitri shifted out of the way and gave me a wondering look. I smiled meekly at him. I silently slid into the front seat and tried to peer out the window. Luckily the windows had a dark enough tint that I doubted that they would notice me from a small nearly unnoticeable corner. I caught a small glimpse before Dimitri pulled me back down.

The one I saw basically had his face against the bus doors. He had long shaggy black hair that was extremely messy. I could still make out the red rings in his eyes but they were thick rings. They nearly engulfed the entire color of his eyes. His skin was as white as a sheet and his eyes were sunken in. He really did look like a starving man only the huge protruding fangs gave away his true form. They looked too large to fit in his mouth. Almost like it was a mouth piece. His arms were dangling down at his side. His forearms looked thick but his upper arm, stomach, and chest were skin and bone. He wore only a pair of dirty torn khaki pants. One leg as fully covered but the other had been ripped to shreds. I could see his boney calf and his knobby knee. His bare feet were just as skinny. His fingers and toes were exceeding long compared to the everyday human's.

I was looking at Dimitri but I could still see the Strigoi's image. I shook my head. "Oh my God. Have you ever seen one of those things?" My voice was a harsh whisper. I was surprised that I was able to keep it that low.

He nodded, "Yea. I've actually seen quite a few." He looked like was having a mental picture as we spoke. I could only imagine how the others might look. This was actually the first one I'd ever seen.

"How… how does that happen?" I was sort of scared of the answer but my curiosity always got the better of me.

He shrugged, "They starve either from being trapped, tortured, isolated, or because they killed off their 'food resources' in whatever area they were in."

My eyes went wide. I was hoping it would be one of the first three rather than they killed off their resources. "What do you know about their kind?"

"They're faster but they are a little weaker than the everyday Strigoi."

"At least we have that." I looked ahead.

"Not really. Strigoi already have advanced strength and reflexes. I would guess that their strength is about that of the average dhampir but their speed is double."

"Double?" I slapped my hand over my own mouth. That was ridiculous. How are we supposed to kill something that fast?

I heard a snap and I looked up to see Alek snap his fingers again. "I have a 'tlan'."

"A 'tlan?" I hated this sort of miscommunication. So I just looked to Dimitri to solve it.

He shook his head, "Plan. He has a plan."

I shot my glance back to Alek. His hands were already balled up into fists. "When I say so I want Dimitri to cover the back of the bus, Rose to go through the top emergency exit hatch, and driver?"

"Yea?" He was still pretty shocked but at least he could talk.

"I want you to run to the way back and hide in the bathroom. Lock the door and do not make a sound. Go as fast as you can. Do you understand?"

There was a long pause before another noise was made, "Yea."

He took in a deep breath and let it out in a long drawn out exhale. "Go!" He slammed against the handle to open the doors and spun around just as fast to run to the aisle.

I bolted for the hatch. It was a simple flip lock to pop it open so I grabbed a hold of the small silver bars on the ceiling and kicked up. I ended up going straight through and slid flat on my stomach. I heard the door break off and bounce off the top of the bus. I was looking down into the bus when I saw two Strigoi run past. My heart was racing and all I could think was that Dimitri was still down there. I stood up and ran to the back. I looked down and saw the door burst open. Dimitri sprung out and landed gracefully on his feet. His stance was perfect and he caught a Strigoi by the throat as it leapt out after him.

He let out a blood curdling roar as he slammed it down to the floor and its head bounced like a rubber ball. I heard a loud crack and knew quickly what had happened. I saw a dark pool of blood start forming around the head. Dimitri looked up and met my eyes. He reached into his duster and pulled out his stake. He plunged it into the chest. No movement, not even a stir. It just laid there dead.

I heard a loud thump and spun around in time to see a Strigoi fumbling through the small emergency exit I had gone through. I ran at a full sprint at him without a second thought. I rammed into him and ended up pulling him out and taking a dive off the bus. I landed on top so his body took the brunt of the impact. But that's not to say that it still didn't hurt. I sat up in full mount on top of the Strigoi. His arm was twisted in an unbelievable way behind his head. I started landing some hard hammer fists into his face until I felt his blood staining the backs of my hands. He was still trying to get to my throat with his free hand but I was perfectly positioned out of his reach. All he did was manage to give me a few scratches to my chest and stomach. Nothing major. I pulled out my stake and came down with all my weight. I doubt that I needed that much power to do it but I would rather be safe than sorry. I heard a gargling sound and a few quick jerks before he went quiet and still.

A hand landed on my shoulder. I yanked out the stake and shot up to face them. It was Alek. He had a small slash across his cheek but he looked like he was in one piece. "You got him. Good." His breaths were heavy. I could tell he had gotten a good work out taking out the one in front.

I pushed my hair out of my face, "Where's Dimitri?"

"Here."

I turned and saw him leaning against the bus. His chest was heaving as well. I walked over to him and looked him over, "Are you hurt?"

He shook his head and smiled, "I made it out fully intact." He paused and looked me up and down, "And you?"

I looked at myself, "I think I'm fine." I touched the few scratches. They didn't even sting. I shrugged, "Obviously nothing serious."

"Good. We all made it out safe."

I looked around, "How many were there?"

"Four. So we're good."

_Four? _"I took out one and I saw Dimitri take one out as well. I'm guessing you took out two?"

He shook his head, "Actually Dimitri and I took out one and a half. He assisted me in the last kill."

"He was the one that gave Alek that cut on his face." He gestured to the wound.

Alek's hand went to his face, "Cut?" He dabbed his fingers in the blood and looked at it like it was strange to him. "Huh. Lucky shot."

"You didn't know?"

He shook his head, "Do you always feel it when you get hurt during battle?"

I shrugged, "I guess not. Never really thought too much about it. I guess it depends on the injury."

"I suppose so."

We made our way around the bus picking up what was left of the Strigoi. Although three were still in one piece the last one was decapitated. My stomach curled as I helped drag his body off to the side of the road. Alek carried the head by the hair and tossed it into the thick grass.

"Do you think anyone will find them?" I looked back over my shoulder to the spots where the bodies laid.

"No. The sun will burn them up once it rises tomorrow." Dimitri took my hand in his. It was a simple but very effective comfort.

Alek walked over to the back of the bus and leapt inside. He was pretty graceful. He opened the bathroom door and helped the bus driver out. "Glad to see you made it. You okay?"

He nodded, "I'm fine. What happened? What was that?"

Alek patted his shoulder, "Some crazy gang that has been wondering around these parts. Don't worry. We took care of them."

"They… they looked so unreal. Like they weren't human." He shuddered.

He shrugged, "Pretty creepy but that's their style."

The driver just rubbed his head and had a look in his eyes that said something along the lines of how this whole situation was unbelievable. He took a seat on the bus steps. "That was crazy. I've never had a gang just attack my bus like that in all my ten years of driving."

Alek patted his shoulder, "I'm just glad we could help."

The man's eyes shot up, "Thank you for that. I don't know what I would have done otherwise." He shook his hand.

I walked up the steps, "We should be going just in case there are more of them coming."

"You're right. Come on." He boarded the bus and took his seat. Dimitri and Alek followed behind me and we kept to the front of the bus this time. We managed to make it the rest of the way without running into any more trouble. When we got off and the driver called after us, "You three stay out of trouble."

Alek just waved, "You stay safe, sir."

The doors closed and he drove off to the next stop to get his next batch of passengers. I turned to Alek, "So, which way now?"

He pulled out the map and ran his eyes over it. He mumbled something and then folded up and pocketed it. "First we need to take the train the rest of the way. Then we keep to the road until we hit Stantsiya Vozdukhoplavatel'nyy Park."

"More transportation? Great." I lean against the bus stop wall. I just wanted to get things done already.

Dimitri smiled, "The train rides are always pleasant."

"Don't get me wrong, I like the train but I wish it didn't take so long to get from place to place around here."

"Well we won't be able to get a train until tomorrow morning. We have to get a room here." He looked at the street signs and nodded to himself, "We'll have to stay somewhere near the station so we can be there early, leave early, and make it over while we still have some sunlight."

I sighed heavily, "Fine. What's the earliest train?"

"Six thirty in the morning."

Dimitri took out his cell and set an alarm. "I have that covered now let's get rooms and rest up."

"What? We have two hours before it's ten."

"And we can use all the rest we can get." Dimitri gave me a stern look. "This is serious, Rose."

"I know but I figured I'd have time to eat."

Alek reached into his small black bag and pulled out a packet of beef jerky, "This helps to stunt the hunger. I always carry some on me when I'm going on missions."

I took out a piece and bit a chunk off. It was pretty good considering that it was dry meat. "What kind is this?"

"Homemade."

I instantly stopped chewing. "Homemade? As in you killed the animal, sliced it up, and dried the meat yourself?"

"Pretty much. Oh, and seasoned it." He took out another bag and offered it to Dimitri. He took it.

He pulled out a piece and dropped it into his mouth. A few chews later he nodded, "I'm impressed. Where'd you learn that?"

"My dad showed me how to do it when I was nine. I didn't actually kill my first animal until after his death." He took a bite out of the piece he held.

"What do you season it with?"

"Just pepper. I have tried to experiment with different stuff but I like pepper best."

I covered my mouth and forced myself to chew and swallow. "I would prefer a nice cheese burger or pizza."

Dimitri laughed, "I don't see the difference aside from one being made in a restaurant and the other being made at home."

"That makes all the difference." I looked at the piece of dried meat in my hand. It could have been mistaken for the kind they sell in stores. I decided to just finish it off.

Alek put the packets back into his bag. "Well if you prefer 'real' food we can stop and grab a bite before heading to a hotel."

"We need as little exposure to humans as possible. You don't think we look a little conspicuous?" Dimitri gestured to our tattered, torn, and just a tad blood spattered clothes.

I looked down at myself. The bottom of my shirt had spots of blood and dirt patches covered my lower half. "Okay, so what do you propose we do?"

Dimitri sighed, "I'll go get some food. I look the least worn and my duster will shield most of my clothes." He buttoned up.

Now he really looked like a cowboy. A smile spread on my face. "Nice."

He smiled, "Alright, so what do you want?"

"Cheese burger, all the way. With some fries." My stomach growled loudly. I patted it to try to quiet it down.

Alek chuckled, "Um, I'll have the same. Except no onions."

Dimitri nodded, "While I'm at that you two find the hotel and call my cell once you get one. I shouldn't be long."

I tiptoed and kissed his lips, "Be safe."

He placed a kiss to my head, "You too." He held my gaze for just a moment more and turned to find our meal.

Alek was tapping his feet looking at the floor. "So, let's try this one first."

He pointed out to a building that was just a few blocks down. I couldn't make out the words on the sign but it reminded me of a Holiday Inn. We took off at a mild run and reached it in just minutes. The clerk at the front was an older looking woman. Her grey hair was pulled back tight into a bun and her clothes looked neat and tidy.

She looked us over with her dark brown eyes peering over the top of her glasses. "Как я могу вам помочь?"

I smiled, "I'm sorry. I'm American."

She smiled wryly, "Can I help you?"

Alek leaned on the counter with his elbow and smiled sweetly, "Yes, ma'am. We need two rooms please."

She typed on her key board and frowned, "We only have one room available and it's a sweetheart suite."

We looked at one another, "Maybe we should try somewhere else."

He shook his head, "The station is just three blocks down. This is the closest." He looked back at the woman and nodded, "We'll take it. Just for tonight."

She smiled back, "Ok sir. Paper or plastic?"

I reached into my pocket to take out cash but Alek shook his head. He pulled out a card, "Plastic."

She took the card and swiped it through the machine. "Благодарю вас, сэр." She handed it back to him and then turned her back to us. She pulled out a card and handed it to him, "Fourth floor, room 328."

He smiled, "Спасибо за вашу помощь. Человек по имени Димитри Беликов будет присоединяться к нам коротко."

"Я сообщу Вам, когда он добирается здесь." She pulled out a pen and notepad and jotted down something.

Alek took my arm and led me to the elevator. He pressed the button and waited. I looked at him until he noticed, "What?"

I tilted my head back towards the woman. "What was all that about?"

"Oh, I was just letting her know that Dimitri was going to be joining us soon. And she said she'd call up to let us know when he got here." He kept his sincere looking smile on his face.

I didn't question it. After all, we are on the same side. Right?

Once we got to the room it was both a shock and not as big as a bummer as I thought it was going to be. The bed was huge. It was covered in giant pillows and thick sheets. The couches were big and round. They were the color of red velvet cake. The phone rested on the small table between them. I threw my bag over by them and kept walking around. The TV was hidden in the entertainment center and the remote and TV guide were daintily placed on the coffee table. Just behind that wall the bathroom laid. It had a whirlpool tub that was big enough to fit at least six people in it and there were candles that lined the wall on small mounts that had been placed neatly in a cascading pattern.

I turned on my heels and walked back to the couches. I propped my feet up on the coffee table and picked up the phone. I jabbed down on the numbers quickly and waited as the line rang. Dimitri answered on the third ring.

"Hey there good looking. We got a room."

He laughed, "Well I am waiting for our number to be called."

I sighed and twisted the cord on my index finger, "You won't believe the room we got landed with."

"Don't tell me it's tiny. Not enough room for you?"

I laughed out, "Not even close! We got the sweetheart suite."

"What made you decide in that?" He was choking back his laughs.

"It was the last room and Alek insisted on it seeing that it was the closest hotel to the train station." I laid back and stared at the ceiling. "He also told the lady at the front that you'd be coming over soon."

"Great. Oh, hey they just called our number. I'll be there soon."

I closed my eyes, "Okay. I love you."

"I love you, Roza." Then I heard the click. I reached out and aimlessly tried to put the phone back on its base. I felt Alek grab it and put it down. "Thanks."

"No problem." He walked around and sat on the other couch. "I'm guessing I will have to sleep on the couch."

I snuggled into the cushion, "It's not bad. It's actually really comfy."

"Says the woman who will be sleeping on the bed."

I laughed, "Don't whine. We will most likely be on shifts anyway. You could end up on the bed during my shift."

"With Dimitri? " He shook his head, "I'm good."

"I bet if it were Viktoria it wouldn't bother you so much." I looked at him from a side glance.

He blushed, "Don't. She's out of my league." He looked away.

"I knew it! You do like her." I sat up and propped my chin on my knees. "So why don't you try?"

He shook his head, "Stop, Rose. You and I both know a girl like her wouldn't go for a guy like me."

"Don't drag me into your self-doubt. I think anyone has a chance so long as they have the heart to try."

"Well I don't. I've seen her type and trust me I am not it." He began weaving and unweaving his fingers together.

"And you're so sure?" I gave him a hard stare.

He shot up from his seat, "I am positive! Now just drop it. Please." He walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

I was honestly a little taken back from it. I got up and knocked on the door, "Alek? Look, I'm sorry. I was just trying to help."

Silence. I hated getting the silent treatment. I didn't think I had done anything recently to deserve it. I slumped down and leaned my back on the door. A few minutes passed and the phone rang. I figured it was the woman downstairs letting us know Dimitri was here so I just ignored it. Then the front door opened. I quickly recognized Dimitri and waved, "Hey. Food?"

He swung the bags in the air and nodded, "Yes ma'am." He looked around as he closed the door, "Where's Alek?"

I pressed my finger on the door above my head, "In there."

The bathroom door opened so suddenly that I didn't have time to catch myself. I fell back and hit my head on the tile. Alek grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet, "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

I rubbed my head, "I'm fine." I checked my hand for blood. None. "No harm, no foul."

Dimitri walked over and smiled down at me, "Are you sure you're fine?" He cupped my face.

"I'm fine. Don't worry so much."

He nodded, "Alright, just one question though."

"And what's that?" I leaned forward attempting to draw him in for a kiss.

"Why were you leaning on the bathroom door if Alek was in there?"

I laughed, "He was upset and I was just worried."

"Upset? About?" He looked over to Alek.

He just shrugged, "Girl problems."

Dimitri nodded, "I've been there."

I nudged him, "I was having boy problems with you! And besides, I wasn't a problem." I crossed my arms and turned away.

Dimitri grabbed a hold around my waist and pulled me back towards him, "I didn't say you were the problem. The problem came from our society." He turned me to face him, "But look at us now."

I pulled him to me and our lips met. I forgot where we were, what we were doing, I even almost forgot that Alek was there too. We parted, "His problem is a little different than ours."

Dimitri released me, "What's going on?"

Alek shook his head, "Nothing I want to talk about."

Dimitri gave me a weird look, "Well then I won't force the subject."

"Thanks." He threw himself on the couch and ran his hands over his face. "It's just exhausting trying to explain my point of view."

"He thinks he's not good enough." I took a seat on the other couch and propped my feet up.

Alek gave me a cold look, "Thanks."

"Just trying to help." I shrugged and cozied into the couch.

Dimitri took a seat beside me, "What makes you say that?"

"I just know that I'm not her type. She'd just see me as everyone else does." He shook his head, "It'd be a waste of both our time."

"It is with that kind of attitude." I rummaged through the bag and pulled out my food.

He threw his hands up, "What do you expect from me? I'm not exactly the smoothest guy around her. I come off as an ass."

Dimitri chuckled, "Every guy falls over himself around that one girl. The best thing to do is have confidence, act like you know you're good enough, and jump."

"What happens if I eat shit?" He raked his hand through his hair.

I shrugged, "Then get your ass up and try again." I took a bite out of my burger and savored it. It was pretty damn good.

Dimitri smiled at me, "She's right, you know. How do you expect to get anywhere without trying?"

He plopped down on the couch. "I don't know. I don't think she even likes me like that."

"Only one way to find out then." I took another big bite and shoved a french-fry in after it.

"I don't know. I… I don't even know why we are discussing this. We have bigger problems to worry about other than my dating situations." He walked over to the nag of food and found his. "We are hunting down Strigoi."

"Wow, you show no hesitation going after monsters but you're scared to ask a girl out." I wiped the corner of my mouth and took a sip of my soda. "You are one strange kid."

Dimitri laughed, "It's easier to do a job than it is to ask out a girl that you really like."

Alek gestured to Dimitri, "See? At least you understand."

I finished off my burger, "Whatever. I need some sleep." I made my way over to the bed and kicked off my shoes. I shot Dimitri a look, "Are we sleeping in shifts?"

Alek shrugged, "I don't see why we would have to. We're on the third floor and there's someone on the front desk that will let us know if someone is coming up."

"We should still be cautious." Dimitri sat beside me and laid back, "I'll take the first shift, then Alek, and last Rose."

I sighed, "Fine with me."

"Me too." Alek sounded sorely disappointed. "I'm taking a shower first." He took the last bites of his food and grabbed his bag. "I won't be long." He disappeared into the bathroom.

I threw myself back next to Dimitri, "I've got butterflies in my stomach."

He propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at me, "Butterflies?"

"I'm anxious. I probably won't be able to get any sleep tonight." I ran my fingers through his hair.

"Not surprising. What surprises me is that you haven't tried to use your magic lately. Either that or you're doing a good job at hiding it." He brought his lips to mine. That kiss made the world spin.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him to me. I felt him snake his arms around my body and pull me to him. He was breathing heavily and it made me feel flustered. My heart started to race and I tangled my hand in his hair. The kiss was growing passionate. I started to feel the magic stir in my chest so I pulled away.

Dimitri looked down at me with concern, "What? What's wrong?"

"It's there. I can feel it." I put my hand to my chest. "What happens if I summon it on accident?"

He brushed my hair back with his fingers, "You'll be fine. You know how to transfer it and we know how to make it go away." He traced the small of my back and it sent chill up my spine.

I pulled him back down to me, "Should we even be messing around? Alek is just in the other room." I kissed his neck.

He sighed, "You might be right about that. Maybe we should postpone it until your shift." He ran his hand up my shirt and caressed my skin.

"You'd give up sleep for me?" I gave him a sultry look.

"Anything for just a moment with you." He tangled his hand in my hair and pulled me to him. The kiss was rough but it was definitely sensual. I could feel the sexual tension just building up with every touch and kiss. I ran my hand over his chest and he sighed heavily. I felt his heart pounding beneath my touch.

Our lips parted it felt like the earth shifted. He sat up and leaned back against the pile of pillows. I laid my head on his lap as he ran his fingers through my hair. I started to feel like I was fading into sleep. I smiled, "So I'll wake you up when Alek gets me up for my shift?"

I could see him through my closing eyes. He smiled sweetly, "That's the plan. Now get some rest." He caressed my cheek with the back of his fingers and I felt my heavy lids shut.

I was surrounded by complete darkness when I heard a voice, "May I come in?"

I looked around in the dark room, "Hello? Who's there?"

A bright light suddenly went on and Adrian appeared in front of me, "Just wanted to drop in to see how you're doing. And I brought someone with me." He sidestepped and Sonia stepped forward.

Her stomach was still bulging. Her smiled looked radiant. She was practically glowing. "Hello Rose."

"Sonia, how are you both here?" My eyes shot from face to face.

Adrian just laughed, "Well Sonia summoned me and I summoned you." He raised his hands and circled, "Thus the empty white room. We couldn't agree on the atmosphere so we left it a blank sheet."

Sonia gave him a sly look, "I'd prefer my garden."

"And I'd prefer a place to relax in that's not all girlied out." He leaned against an invisible wall.

"Why not that world you created? It was gorgeous. I'm sure Sonia would love it."

She gave him a blank stare, "A world you created? I would like to see that." She crossed her arms and rested them on top of her stomach.

Adrian sighed, "That was just supposed to be between us, Rose."

I shrugged, "Why keep it to ourselves when it's so perfect?"

He just shook his head and closed his eyes. The world flew by in assorted colors and sounds. We came to a halt and suddenly we were in the field of flowers with the cherry trees and cascading waterfall in the background. The sun and moon still seemed to grace each other's presence. I smiled and took in a deep breath. It always smelled so fresh here.

Sonia was looking around in awe. "This is quite beautiful. I can hardly believe it."

"Well believe it. It took me a long while to get it this perfect." He sat down by his usual tree and leaned back.

I took a seat beside him, "So what did you both come to me for? I don't have much time. Getting up early."

"Then let's get right to the point." Sonia sat beside me. "We are going to teach you to hone that peculiar magic of yours."

My jaw dropped, "Really? Wow. I can honestly say I wasn't expecting that." My eyes shot to Adrian's face. "I thought you didn't want me to be messing with my magic."

"I don't but Sonia said that you might need it eventually." He turned away and picked at the cherry blossoms that lay on the ground.

I looked over to her, "Everything happens for a reason, Rose. You were given this magic as a gift."

"But I have no idea how to use it."

She tsked me, "That's what experiments and practice are there for. You must learn."

Adrian stood up and walked over to me. He stuck out a hand for me to take, "Let's get this started since you don't have much time."

I took his hand and turned to Sonia, "So what's first?"

"Adrian told me you know how to call forth your magic. Is that so?" She looked me up and down.

I nodded, "Yes."

"And what emotion do you use to summon it?"

I cleared my throat, "I guess you'd call it desire. A very passionate desire."

She nodded and kept her face serious. "Alright, so summon it."

I sighed and closed my eyes. It felt weird with them watching me. I could hardly focus but then I felt it. I felt his hands running over my skin and the tingling sensations. I could hear my heart beating in my head and the blood rushing through my veins. I took in a breath as I felt the magic bulking up into my chest. "I have it."

I could hear footsteps around me, "Very beautiful."

I felt a disturbance in my aura, "What's happening?"

She laughed, "It likes company. I got a bit too close and it tried to reach out."

"I've seen that happen." Adrian scoffed. "I've given you reports on all of it."

"I know, I know. But seeing it myself is something different all together." I heard her continue to circle me. "Now I want you to make that magic flow through your body. From head to toe."

I took in a deep breath and felt serene. The magic flowed through me like water. I could feel every bit of it seeping through into my body until I had a steady rhythm. It felt natural. I felt like I had been doing it for about an hour before anyone spoke up again.

"Good, now I'm going to ask you to try to make it spin into a ball shaped form into your chest."

I shook my head, "I don't know how to do that. Any tips?"

I felt hands rest on my shoulders, "Breathe, Rose." Adrian's voice was always comforting. He had a way with keeping his words calm and smooth. "Try to visualize a spinning ball. Watch its motion. Feel it in you."

And I could. I could see a silver ball spinning round and round. It reminded me of someone spinning a basketball on their finger. It felt like I had butterflies in my chest. "I have it!" I couldn't help but feel excited.

Adrian hushed me, "Calm. Keep focused." I took in a deep breath and released. "Good."

"Now Rose I want you to send that ball out of your body. Let it flow like usual but keep it in ball form." Sonia sounded like she might be just a little unsure.

"How do I do that? If it flows it goes back to being a stream of magic." I started to feel the ball losing it shape.

"Don't panic." Adrian squeezed my shoulders forcing me to fix the form. "Think of it as rolling then. Can you do that?"

"I can try." I tried to push it until it started to moved. It was slow paced but I was getting the hang of it. That was until it reached my hand. "I cannot get it through. It's basically stuck."

"I… I don't know what to do." Sonia's voice was low. I could tell she wasn't exactly directing those words to me.

"Adrian?"

"I'm working on it." He sighed, "Alright, um, try to minimize it. Make it smaller."

I tried but it felt like it wouldn't shrink. "Uh! This isn't working."

"Calm down, Rose. You'll lose it."

"Stop telling me to calm down. This is frustrating! I can't just stay calm. And the more you tell me to the more it agitates me!" Just as I yelled out my last phrase I felt that ball of magic shove itself through my hand and it felt like someone had punched me in the palm of my hand. My eyes shot open.

Adrian was staring me blank in the face, "Rose."

I felt his grip tighten and then go slack. He fell to his knee and tried to keep a hold of my shirt. I leaned down with him. I looked him over and noticed blood running down his arm. I ripped the sleeve and found a hole in his shoulder. "Oh my god. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

I tried to lay him back but he just forced a laugh. "I'll be fine." The words sounded forced and it made me wince.

"Adrian, please…"

Sonia shifted me out of the way and touched his wound. She closed her eyes and pursed her lips. I held my breath as I watched the wound close up. All that was left was a blood spot and his skin looked like it was still tinged red. "There." She stepped away and brushed her hair off of her face. "It wasn't too serious."

Adrian probed his shoulder. "Thanks." He stood up and wobbled a little. His eyes shot back to me and he gave me a small smile.

"Sonia, you shouldn't…"

She gave me a sharp look, "I wouldn't have had to if you would have just kept your temper. Now let's try this again, shall we." She stood me up and covered my eyes. "Summon it."

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	15. Chapter 15

We kept at the same techniques for what felt like hours. Sonia would have me summon the magic, form it into a ball and have it flow into my hands. Adrian was more of the coach. He had a way with words. Finally I was able to make a ball of energy shoot out from my hands. She would just have me launch it into the small body of water.

"When can I try this out in actual object?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

Adrian rubbed his shoulder, "I think we already have that covered, little dhampir."

"I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean to do that."

He just laughed, "I know, it's fine. I'm still breathing aren't I?"

Sonia shushed us. "Let's focus here." She walked over to a boulder and drew a target with the tip of her finger. "I want you to try to hit that as best as you can."

"Alright." I took in a deep breath and felt the magic appear and take shape. I was getting pretty good at it. I opened my eyes and shot the ball of energy at the giant rock. It didn't hit the target but it took a huge chunk off the top. I shrugged, "Good enough."

Adrian's mouth was hanging open. "That was a big one. I'm glad you didn't end up shooting me with one of those."

I smiled, "She said to do it as best as I could."

"I meant the aiming but that works too." She smiled and looked me over. "How do you feel?"

"Fine, I guess." I took a step and suddenly the world was rocking like a boat on the ocean. I grabbed my head and closed my eyes. "Whoa. Maybe not. I need to sit down."

Adrian took a hold of my arm and slowly lowered me. "Breathe steadily, Rose. Just breathe."

I tried but I still felt weird. Like I was drained. "I think I just need some rest."

Sonia grabbed my shoulder and breathed deeply. "Relax. I need you to calm yourself."

I nodded but I'm more than sure it came off as more of a bobble. "I need some sleep."

"What you need is energy." She removed her hand. "You overused your magic with that last one. You're suffering from a shortage."

"Can it be healed?" Adrian was looking at me intensely.

I shook my head, "I don't want you to try to heal me. I just need some rest."

"But…"

"She's right. She just needs to rest and let her magic regenerate." She smiled sweetly at me and started walking through the flowers. "These are just lovely." She took a seat and laid back, disappearing into the tall stems and bright colors.

Adrian sighed heavily, "Why must you be so stubborn?"

"I just don't think there's a need for you to endanger yourself to heal me." I picked up a cherry blossom and traced the petals with the tip of my finger. "So, how's Lissa doing?"

He smiled, "She's doing good. The school has been letting her send in her work by email, fax and snail mail."

"Good. I'm glad she can continue her education. That's always meant so much to her."

"Yea, Christian has been a great support for her too." He sat beside me and leaned back. "We all miss you."

I nudged him, "How can you miss me when I see you every other night?"

He laughed, "It's different in person. You can't hide behind a false image in real life. You see people as they truly are."

I nodded, "I suppose so." I looked over to him, "So are you hiding something from me?"

"No. You see me as I really am at Court." He kept his gaze far away.

I tilted my head and smiled, "Do you think I am hiding something?"

"I don't know." His eyes shot to meet mine, "Are you?"

I couldn't speak. I didn't want to lie to him. "Adrian, I…"

"I won't judge you, Rose. You have always done what you wanted and it has always been for the best, I guess." He looked down at his hands, "So whatever you're up to I'm more than sure you have a good reason for it. Or at least just a Rose-logic reason."

We both laughed, "My reason for coming here wasn't just a honeymoon." I looked away. "We are hunting down Strigoi that are threatening my life and the lives of my loved ones."

He tilted my head back up to look at him, "Just those Strigoi?"

"Maybe not. I'm not too sure which is which anymore." I felt my voice lower involuntarily.

He pulled me into his arms and just held me, "I trust you know best. Just be safe."

I sighed. This was the best result I could imagine from telling someone. "I will. Just one thing though."

He pulled away and gave me an apprehensive look, "What would that be?"

"Don't tell Lissa or Christian."

He laughed, "I won't but if something happens you know I will have to."

I nodded, "I know."

"And you know she'll be mad."

"I know."

I felt him run his fingers through my hair and for a moment I saw Dimitri sitting beside me. "Little dhampir, I just hope you know what you're doing." His gaze wasn't on me but it held concern. His brow was ruffled and his expression was tense. I felt bad for making him worry.

I leaned my head on his shoulder, "Don't worry about me, Adrian. I have my team and a plan."

He looked down at me, "Team?"

My nod made me nuzzle against him, "Mm hmm. Dimitri and Alek. We are in a hotel tonight. Gotta catch a train tomorrow." I felt my body sinking into a slumber which felt weird because I knew I was already asleep.

He lowered his voice, "Who's Alek?"

"He saved my life the last time I was here. He's in love with Dimitri's sister. It's kind of cute actually." I shut my eyes unwillingly.

I heard him chuckle, "Tell him I said thank you." I felt his lips touch my forehead. I felt comfortable. Adrian had become my best guy friend and I felt completely content.

"Rose." I felt my body being shaken, "Rose, get up. Time to switch off."

My eyes shot open and Alek was in front of me. I felt like I had been asleep for only a few moments. "What? What time is it?"

"Three thirty. It's your shift now." He put out a hand to help me up. I took it willingly.

I gave him a pillow and blanket as he made himself comfortable on the couch. "Hey, I don't think I ever told you thank you for saving me so thanks."

He smiled sincerely at me, "Any person would have jumped in to save two beautiful girls."

I shook my head, "Yea, well, thank you anyway. My friend Adrian says thank you too."

"Adrian? I've never met the guy."

I nodded, "I kind of told him about you saving me and he said to tell you thanks."

He did a small laugh, "Huh. You must mean a lot to him."

"We're just friends." I felt my face flush. I didn't want him thinking otherwise.

"I knew that. You're with Dimitri. I just meant that you two must be really good friends." He gave me a reassuring look.

I nodded, "We use to date. But that was a while back. We've become really great friends since..."

He smiled and stifled a yawn, "As much as I love to talk to you I need my rest."

"Oh, yea. Sorry." I turned and started walking, "Good night."

"Night."

I made my way over to Dimitri. I gently swept some strands of hair off his face. He looked so peaceful. I ran my hand over his cheek and cherished the smooth texture of his skin. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled. "Hey there."

"Hey." I sat up on the bed and tucked back some stray stands of hair. "I wasn't sure if you still wanted me to wake you."

He sat up straight and snaked one hand into my hair, "Why would I change my mind?" He pulled me to him and our lips connected. It felt beautiful. My heart started to pound beneath my chest as I felt his other hand pull my body against his. Our lips parted and his gaze burned into me. "You are so beautiful."

For some strange reason I felt myself blush. I thought I would have been use to him by now but he still made flutters return to my stomach. I smiled and traced his jaw line with my fingertips. "So are you."

He placed a kiss to my head and pulled me beside him. "I just want to lay here, just like this, with you." I could feel him running his fingers through my hair. I nuzzled against him and breathed him in. He smelled fresh but I could still smell that hint of his cologne. It was intoxicating.

I closed my eyes and pictured us doing this many years from now. Would we grow old together or were we to meet our fates all too soon? My eyes shot open. I didn't want to think about that. I never wanted to feel that pain of losing Dimitri. Not again. "Dimitri?"

"Hmm?" I felt his chest hum.

I traced circles on his chest. "Do you ever wonder how long we'll be here?"

"Most days, yes." He tightened his arm around me, "But for now I am just glad to have this moment."

"So you're just living in the moment?"

He sighed, "That's all we can do right now. That's what comes with the decision of hunting down monsters."

I lifted my head to look at him, "And you're not afraid of losing it all?"

He shot me a look that made me feel like I had just insulted him. He took in a long breath, "Rose, don't make me sound so cold hearted."

I shifted my gaze down to the bed. "I didn't mean to... I just meant that it just seems like you aren't afraid of any thing."

"Of course we all bare a little fear. Mine is that I will lose you." He gently caressed my face. "I don't think I could bare that pain."

I couldn't get myself to look back, "You won't. I'll be fine. We'll be fine."

He tilted my chin up and I felt him staring down at me. My eyes slowly shifted back to his face. It was so obvious he didn't quite believe my words. Doubt sat plainly in his eyes. "You cannot promise that."

"Then I won't." I laid my head back down on his chest and felt his steady heart beat. It was beating roughly. I could sense the unsettled atmosphere the conversation had created. "I love you, Dimitri... I'm sorry."

He forced a chuckle, "Sorry that you love me?"

"Sorry that I dragged you into more mess." I shut my eyes tightly and braced for one of his lectures.

His hands started to stroke my hair again, "You are my wife, Roza and I love you. I will face anything in the world to keep you safe."

My heart jumped to my throat. It felt like I had swallowed a ball. I tried to clear my throat but it came out as a weird hiccup sound. I covered my mouth and kept my words to myself. When I finally felt like I could muster up a sentence it was a simple one, "Get some rest. You'll need it tomorrow."

He planted a kiss on my head and sighed, "Alright." He cozied back into the pillows and I felt all the tension release. "Good night."

I stayed resting my head on his chest, "Good night." I waited until I felt him drift off to sleep. His breaths came easily and more heavily. I slowly got up from the bed and made my way over to the window. It wasn't very big but it looked out onto the streets of St. Petersburg. The lamps that lit the roads were dim but made for great spot lights whenever someone passed by in the dark. I spotted a young couple walking hand in hand. It made me yearn for a normal love life. It tugged at my heart but once they were out of sight I cleared my head of the fantasy.

There were a few more people that made their ways through the street. An old man in an overcoat walking his little dog passed around a corner, a bunch of young men crowded one another as they crossed the street only to make their way into another ally, and a pretty young blonde girl just taking a stroll for the night crossed by our window. Her head in the clouds as she walked lightly on the pavement. She reminded me of Lissa. Her pretty face was very pale and her hair was so blonde it almost looked gold. She dressed very girly. An outfit I think Lissa would have liked as well. Her eyes ran over the buildings she passed when her gaze suddenly shot up to me. She did a simple wave and smiled. I just smiled and waved back. She looked away casually and went on her merry way. I saw her disappear into the night only to see her reappear in the lights when she neared a lamp. Eventually she was nothing but a dot in the distance.

I leaned back on the window pane and sighed heavily. I missed Lissa. It had been a long time since we had been apart again. She was like a sister and not to mention my charge. Pictures of her flashed through my head. My hand found its way to the rose that rested around my neck. It was the necklace she had given me. It was so cheesy to give me a rose necklace because my name is simply Rose but she was always cheesy. It made me want to laugh. A smile found its way onto my face. I looked over to the clock. The time read five forty-six. Time was passing by in chunks. It felt like I had barely been awake an hour, little lone two. I walked over to the bed and laid beside Dimitri. He always looked so peaceful when he slept. I reached down to run my fingers through his hair when suddenly the phone rang. He sprang up so fast that it made me jump.

Alek sat up in one single motion from the couch as well. I got up from the bed and retrieved the phone. "Hello?"

"Madam, there is a gentleman here saying that he knows you." It was the lady from the front desk. Her voice was steady but her accent was a bit muddled.

I looked at Dimitri and Alek, "May I ask for a name?"

I could hear her asking his name on the other end. She put the phone back up to her mouth, "He said his name is Adrian."

My eyes shot up and the guys saw the instant panic on my face. Dimitri quickly stood by my side and placed his hand on my shoulder. His gaze was intense. I shook my head. I could hardly believe this, "Ad... Adrian?"

"Yes, ma'am." She cleared her throat, "Is there a problem?"

"No. No problem at all. You may send him up. Thank you." I heard the line click and I hung the phone up.

Dimitri was looking at me with a strange look, "Adrian is here?"

I nodded slowly, "Yea."

"And just how did he know we were here?" He crossed his arms over his chest. It felt like his shadow loomed over me.

I shrugged, "He sort of payed me a visit in my dream."

His face turned to stone, "And you told him, didn't you."

I nodded again. "I told him our mission, not our location."

"And you don't think he could have figured out the place since we already told him we were going to be here?" His voice was harsh.

I shook my head, "How I was to know that he was going to come looking for us?"

"You, Rose. He's looking for you." He turned his back to me.

"Okay, right now is probably not the best time to be acting jealous." I hardened my expression. I was not going to appear weak. Not right now.

But when he looked back at me his expression wasn't even a mean one. He looked hurt. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

I felt myself lean back, "I didn't want you to think there was something weird going on."

"And you think hiding it doesn't make it seem like something's going on?"

I shook my head, "Dimitri, I..."

The door opened. Adrian's frame darkened the doorway. "Am I interupting anything?"

Alek cleared his throat, "Not at all. Um... I'm Alek." He put out his hand and Adrian took it.

"Nice to meet you. I've heard some great things about you."

Alek's gaze looked me over, "Hopefully not too much."

"Hello, Adrian." Dimitri sounded casual but I could still feel that sadness that ate at my heart. "Nice of you to join us."

"How did you get here?" I might have sounded a little rude but I was just as confused as the others as to why he was here to begin with.

He laughed, "Well I was already on my way when we last met. Thought you might need some back up."

"Last met?" I could hear the tension in Dimitri's words.

"Yea, Sonia and I have been training Rose with her magic."

My eyes shut tightly. Why hadn't I just told him?

"I see."

Adrian looked uncomfortable, "Am I missing something?"

Alek threw himself on the couch, "I don't know what's going on here but I am going to sleep."

"I think we should all get some rest." Dimitri was staring blankly ahead. I could tell he was trying to avoid looking at me.

I started for the window, "It's still my shift."

"No." His voice was cold, "It's my turn already." He nodded towards the bed. "Get some rest. All of you."

Alek waved his arm and mumbled something from the couch that was incoherent. Adrian nodded, "I'll take the recliner there." He walked passed fairly quickly and picked a pillow from the bed. "Good night all."

I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down at my feet, "Night."

"Night." Dimitri walked passed me as if I wasn't there. I stuck out my hand and grabbed his sleeve. He stopped abruptly.

"Dimitri, I..."

"Not now. It's not the time to talk about this. Just get some sleep." He gently eased from my grip and made his way to the window. I felt my heart sink into my stomach.

I nodded and walked over to the bed. I laid down, threw the blanket over me and sank my face into the pillows. I wanted to disappear. I felt my hear pounding in my head as I thought about different ways I could fix this. But it all came down to convincing Dimitri that there was nothing going on between me and Adrian. I tossed and turned for the next hour before I felt someone nudging me. I came out from under the covers. It was Alek. "Where's Dimitri?"

"Talking with Adrian about the plan. He told me to wake you." He stuck out his hand to help me up but I just ignored the gesture. Might have been a bit bitchy on my part but I didn't feel like being helped. I got up and walked over to the two men talking strategy. "Morning."

Adrian smiled, "Good morning, little dhampir."

Dimitri nodded at me and slightly grinned, "Rose."

It felt like a slap in the face. I took a step back but tried my best to keep the feeling off of my face. "So what's going on here?" I could feel how unsteady my voice was.

"Just telling our new member the task at hand and if he still wants to join." He didn't look up once as he spoke to me.

Adrian nodded, "And it looks like a suicide mission so far. All I have to say is, What are you all thinking?"

Alek stepped in, "We can do this if it's planned right."

"Yea but there's hardly even a plan. I mean, are you really just going to go there and start taking them down? You don't think they will be on their guard?" He looked around the group and stopped his gaze on me. "Well, Rose?"

I shrugged, "We are going in semi-blind but we can do this. I know we can." I leaned forward and swiped my hands over the map that Alek had laid out. "Alek is taking us to a known location of Strigoi and the rest is in the air. We plan once we see what we are up against."

"You're insane." He shook his head and raked his fingers through his hair. He mumbled something under his breath and sighed, "Fine. Let's do this."

Dimitri nodded, "Then you're in."

I stood up straight and finally caught Dimitri's gaze, "Great. Let's catch that train."

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	16. Chapter 16

The walk to the train station was one of silence and tension. To make it worse I had ended up walking between Dimitri and Adrian. Alek stayed about two steps ahead of us. It seemed like he was the only smart one to stay away from the drama that was beginning to surround my life. I kept shifting my sight from one man to the other. I guess I was just waiting for someone to say something. But nobody said a word until Alek broke the silence when we reached the ticket counter.

"Добрый день. Могу я, пожалуйста, четыре билета, которая поможет нам как можно ближе к Stantsiya Vozdukhoplavatel'nyy Park насколько возможно?" His voice sounded unsure and light. All I understood from the sentence was the location so I was pretty sure he was getting us where we needed to be.

The man behind the counter smiled amusingly and nodded, "Один момент, пожалуйста." He turned to his computer and typed in a few things. Alek turned to us and put up one finger as if to say 'This will take a few seconds'. "Ah. Мы имеем четыре места к Moskovskiy. Это все, сэр?" He kept his seemingly professional smile glued on his face.

Alek nodded. "Это прекрасно. Спасибо." They made their exchange of cash for tickets and Alek walked away with a content look on his face. He waved the tickets and slapped them into his palm. "Got 'em".

I stuck out my hand, "May I?"

"Yes you may." He handed me a ticket. It was a pretty standard looking ticket aside from the foreign language. I sighed heavily.

"Something wrong?"

Dimitri was looming over my shoulder. I shook my head, "No, no. It's just... I can't believe we're actually doing this."

He grinned but I could still see that he hadn't completely softened up. "Don't worry. We can do this. You have a great team behind you."

Alek flexed. "I don't mean to brag but I am pretty awesome."

I nudged him. "You sure sound cocky for a guy that's dealing in girl problems."

"You too?" Adrian was leaning against the wall surrounded by his predictable cloud of smoke.

Dimitri gave him a cautious look. "Who's giving you trouble, Adrian?"

It sounded more like a ploy to get him to admit there was something going on between us rather than real concern. But Adrian just shrugged, "I wasn't talking about me." He was very nonchalant about the way he said it. I could tell it was getting under Dimitri's skin.

Dimitri took a step towards him and I could see the cold stare in his eyes. I grabbed his arm, "This is not the time to start." I gave a harsh look to Adrian. "I hope you didn't come trying to start something."

He rose his hands in defense. "I wasn't implying anything, little dhampir. I meant no offense." He looked sincere but you never really knew with him.

Dimitri kept his guard up even after I let him go. "Let's go." He looked upset but I could tell he was trying to tolerate him. "Alek."

He handed him his ticket with caution. "Here you are, sir."

"Thanks." He tucked it into his pocket and made his way to a bench to wait for the train. I wasn't sure if I should follow or if he needed some space.

A handed landed gently on my shoulder. I turned and saw Alek looking off towards Dimitri. "He really loves you, Rose."

I nodded, "I know."

His gaze shifted to me, "Don't hurt him."

I tried not to seem startled by his statement but I was more than sure he had the same idea that Dimitri had once Adrian showed up. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"Then why'd you lie to him?" He dropped his hand and stood in front of me.

Now this was confusing. Was my so called team turning on me? "I didn't lie."

He nodded and looked at the ground, "You're right. You didn't lie." He looked back at me, "You didn't say a thing though. You didn't tell the truth."

"And who are you to be lecturing me on telling the truth? You cannot even tell Viktoria that you have feelings for her." I knew it was hurtful but he had no right trying to tell me I was in the wrong. He didn't know the full story. It was based on pure assumption. A good assumption, I'll give him that but still.

He stood his ground. "Nice. Real nice." He turned his back to me and took a seat across from Dimitri. I watched as they spoke in hushed tones.

"Rose?"

My eyes shut, "Adrian."

He grabbed my hand, "I really didn't mean to start anything."

I slid my hand out of his grasp, "But you did." I sighed. "Why did you come here? Why did you have to say anything?"

He scuffed, "I didn't know that you were keeping me and your magic practice as a secret from him."

"I wasn't trying to keep it a secret. It just never came up." I crossed my arms over my chest.

He forced out a laugh, "Right. You know, I just came to help but if you see me more as a problem rather than a friend trying to help keep you and your husband safe... I'll go." He bore into my eyes and I felt my heart drop. "Just say the word."

The thought had crossed my mind. It would put the plan back to normal and it would make me more comfortable. But then it hit me. I was never comfortable with having both men around me at the same time. They always caused friction and made me feel caught in the middle. Maybe it was me causing the tension. I had to fix it and I had to do it now before it caused a problem to the mission or in either relationship. I grabbed Adrian's hand, "Come on."

He stiffened up as we approached Dimitri and Alek. Dimitri stayed seated but his expression was one that left me a bit taken back. He looked upset. "Roza."

"Before you say anything I have to clear this issue." I pulled him up from his seat and had both men stand on either side of me. I looked at Dimitri and gave him a look that read 'trust me'. "Dimitri, I know I didn't tell you about Adrian's visits but it was only because I was afraid you might get mad or jealous..."

"But you didn't even..."

"Ah, ah, ah! Let me finish." I cleared my throat. "But the visits were just to help me with my magic. And it wasn't just Adrian but Sonia came as well. They both were training me." I grabbed his hand and squeezed, "You can trust me. Nothing is going on between me and Adrian."

"She's right. Neither of us has done anything wrong. I simply came to help." Adrian sounded convincing and he even had me getting into his little speech.

I pointed at him, "See? Both sides telling you the same thing." I turned to Adrian, "And you know you have become one of my best friends and greatest allies..."

"Thank you, little dhampir." He smirked.

"But..."

"But?"

"But you cannot just rush in thinking you can always step in. You should have told me you were coming." I looked him in the eye and kept a serious expression displayed.

He nodded, "You're right. I just didn't want to hear you tell me no. That I shouldn't come."

I simply shrugged, "Well even so. I just don't want anyone getting hurt." I placed my hand on his shoulder. "This is huge. It's a really big deal, you know?"

Dimitri sighed heavily and I shifted my gaze to him. "Dimitri?"

"I do believe you, Roza." He was looking off towards the tracks. I felt my hand drift off Adrian's shoulder and cup Dimitri's hand.

"You do?" My heart fluttered and it felt like that giant boulder that was sitting on my shoulders suddenly gave way. The mood was definitely lighter.

He nodded. "I trust you. But please try not to make this type of thing a habit."

"I won't. I promise you'll be the first to know." I felt like jumping up and down.

Adrian chuckled, "Now that that's all cleared up, shall we board?"

I turned to find the train had pulled up and was boarding passangers. Alek lifted up the bags and hung them over his shoulder. "Let's get to it people."

Adrian walked behind him and dropped what was left of his cigarette under the train. He seemed pleased that the air was cleared but for some reason I felt like he wasn't completely honest through his expression. I followed behind him and Dimitri trailed at my feet. We walked just a few aisle in and finally found our seats. Dimitri and I sat together and the guys sat adjacent to us. Dimitri pulled me to him, "So tell me something."

I looked up at him, "Anything."

He laughed softly, "What have you learned about your magic?"

I grinned, "A few things actually."

"For example?" He obviously was curious about my magic. Who wouldn't be? I was the very first Dhampir that had magic! This was beyond being rare, it was suppose to be impossible.

"Well, I learned how to shoot out a ball of energy from my hands."

His eyes widened and his brow rose. "That sounds interesting."

"Oh, it is more than just interesting." I cupped my hands together and shut my eyes to summoned my magic. I felt it as it flowed through me and formed into an orb in my chest. It rolled to my hand and I gently pushed for it to emerge from my body.

"Wh... Is that the...?" Dimitri was actually stumbling over his words.

I opened my eyes and saw a small ball of light gleaming in the palm of my hand. it was about the size of a golf ball but it glowed white and what seemed like a soft purple. I smiled and passed it from one hand to the other until it felt like it would disappear. "This is it."

He reached out and held his hand around it. His observation was quick and simple but he was hestitant to try to touch it. "Is it safe?"

I shrugged, "Not really sure. I can reabsorb it."

His shot me a concerned looked, "You're not sure if it's safe and yet you did that now?"

"Well, I know I can put it back into me so I didn't think it as going to be a big deal." I clasped my hands together and focused all my strength into my hands. I felt the energy from the orb. I thought of it as unravelling and flowing into me. I began to feel the magic being pulled back into my body. I opened my eyes and started to slowly open my hands. The ball of light was gone.

Dimitri still seemed in awe. "Roza. That was amazing. But you should have considered what could have happened if someone saw or worse."

Of course he had to lecture me. He wouldn't be Dimitri otherwise. "What worse could have happened?"

He got face to face with me. I could smell his scent and his soft hint of cologne. "You could have lost control or dropped that orb. What would have happened, Rose? Do you know?" He looked fierce.

I didn't look away. He wasn't going to intimidate me. I wouldn't let him have the satisfaction of knowing that he could make me feel just a bit dense. "I knew what I was doing. I'm not as stupid as you think I am."

I turned away from him only to have him gently turn my face back to him. He kissed my lips softly and placed his forehead against mine. "I don't think you're stupid, Roza. But you are a little too ambitious." He sighed. "Just be careful, please."

My heart was rushing faster than the train was moving. It felt like we stayed in that moment forever. I wanted to be like this. Him close to me, just the smallest caress, the gentlest kiss. It was simple and perfect. That's how it should have been. Not the part about making our way to an insane plan of hunting down murderous Strigoi. I ran my fingers through his hair and smiled at him. "I'm always careful."

He forced a laugh. "Right."

Alek appeared in the middle of the aisle. "So, is the issue resolved?"

"Resolved." I smiled at him and took Dimitri's hand in mine.

He nodded, "Thank goodness. I was starting to worry." He laughed. "Shall we make our way to the dining car? We will have more privacy and we can go over the plan."

Dimitri nodded, "That's a good idea." He looked back at me, "Come on."

Alek tapped Adrian's shoulder as we passed and he followed as we began snaking our way through the aisles. On the way I couldn't help but notice the simplicity that surrounded us. It was beautiful and somewhat exotic. The deep red and bronze colors danced through the walls and curtains. A long dark grey carpet led the way through the cars. The lights were slightly dimmed which I guess created the mellow atmostphere. And every time I took in a deep breath I could smell the assorted incense from car to car. It was only two cars away so it was a very quick took a table that sat four. Luckily there was only one couple that occupied the room and they sat in the far corner making out. It mad me wish that I had time to make out with Dimitri. I shook the thought from my head. Dimitri must have sensed what I was thinking because he sent me a mischiveous smile. I felt myself blush.

"Alright." Alek unroll the map and laid it out on the table. We used the salt, pepper, and sugar shakers and the tin full of napkins as paper weights. A lady came by and asked if we needed anything. Dimitri and I took hot chocolate while Adrian asked for a coffee. Alek shook his head. I guess he was more interested in the plan rather than enjoyiong himself. Alek pressed his finger over some places on the map and stopped on Stantsiya Vozdukhoplavatel'nyy Park. "When we stop we will be only be about 1600 yards from here."

I followed the tracks we were on and spotted the station. "We'll need to scout."

He nodded, "That's right. We can do this in two teams or we can separate."

Dimitri looked around, "If we separate we can cover more ground."

"But if we hit any trouble we'll be alone." Adrian's voice held great concern.

"Then Adrian will have to team up with someone." I caught Dimitri's and Alek's attention. "He wasn't trained to fight."

Dimitri nodded, "She's right. I'll take him."

Adrian looked apprehensive, "Are you sure? I can always go with Alek... or Rose."

Dimitri shot him a glare. "You don't want to team with me? Do you have a problem with how I work?" He sounded like he was teasing but it wasn't in a playful way.

"No, no, no. It's fine. Fine." He motioned towards Dimitri, "I'm with him."

I tried not to smile but it seemed to find a way to my face. Alek noticed and grinned too. He gave a quick nod, "Right then. Once we reach our destination we will split into the three scouts. Rose?"

"Yea."

He pointed towards the east side, "You'll go here. Try to stay low but this is the least visible spot and the smallest enterence. You should fit just fine." He shifted to Dimitri,"Belikov." He pointed towards the south side that looked to be a wooded area. "You and Adrian will take up here. It has plenty of cover but it also has the leftovers."

Adrian looked confused, "Leftovers?"

The waitress walked up and passed around our drinks. She smiled sweetly at Adrian who seemed oblivious to her. He seemed to still be waiting for a response from Alek. She took the hint that she wasn't wanted and walked away. Adrian stayed focused on Alek.

Alek kept his eyes on the map, "It's where they dispose of the bodies they feed on."

He looked a little startled but he didn't say anything about it. "Okay, so we are stationed there."

"Yes." His finger traced to the north-west corner. "I can cover here. It's not that big but it's high."

I shook my head, "Then how will you reach?"

He smirked, "I'm good with heights."

Dimitri tapped the table with his nuckles. "Then we are set."

Alek pointed to a small hotel that was marked on the map. "We will meet here in three hours."

"Three hours? We have to stay scouting for three _hours_?" Adrain just couldn't understand. He wasn't trained for this type of thing. It made him seem a little bewildered with our side of their world but at least he was starting to see how hard we worked to protect the Moroi.

"This is how we work. Or would you rather sit in the hotel and wait for us." Dimitri wasn't going easy on him. We couldn't afford the take delicate measures all on a case of having a Moroi crash our mission.

Adrian looked insulted, "No. I can do this."

"Good. Then let's get back to our seats, get our shit, and get ready to get off." Alek pointed out the window. "We are nearing our stop."

Alek threw a few bills on the table for our drinks and a tip. We all stood and walked out of the dining car together. When we reached our car we spotted a few people starting to get up and grabbed their things from the compartments. We pushed through and got to our own stuff. I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and when I turned I met the stare of a little boy. His hair was as black as the night's sky and his eyes as blue as the day's. He looked to be about five years old and he just stood there smiling at me. It made my heart break. I waved at him and he smiled wide and waved back.

"Are you okay?"

I turned and saw Dimitri staring at me. "Yea. Yea. Why do you ask?"

He wiped at my cheek with his thumb and it was only then that I realized a tear had made its escape. "You look sad."

I smiled trying to reassure him I was fine. "It's nothing. Nothing at all." But it wasn't. It was something big. Something I knew I couldn't have.

He wrapped his arms around me and held me there. "I thought we were done with the secrets. You know you can tell me if anything is bothering you."

I nodded, "I know." But I couldn't. I just couldn't bring myself to tell him that it was eating at me. I wanted a child. His child but it was just not possible. It didn't seem fair. He didn't need to feel that pain too. "But it's nothing. Really."

He squeezed and then released me. "Come on, Roza. We're here." He took my hand and led me off the train. I was still in a daze before I realized I was already standing on the platform.

The walk over to the hotel was a blurr. I still had my head in the clouds. All I know is that I was watching the street move beneath my feet and Dimitri was the lead. I walkeed through the door and breathed in. It was fresh and sweet. Almost like a fruit.

Dimitri must have noticed my absense of chatter. "Are you okay, Rose?"

I nodded automatically, "I'm fine. Don't worry." I tried for a smile but it more than likely looked forced.

He sighed, "I'll just wait then. You can tell me when you think you're ready." He lifted my hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss.

"Thank you."

Alek walked up to us, "We have the room set. Let's go get suited up and set out."

We took the elevator to the fifth floor. The carpet in the hall was lush and green. The walls were covered in an ivory paint and there were nearly invisible soft gold flowers that traced along the top borders. Each door we passed looked like a solid piece of dark wood with a small gold plaque that read the room number. The silver doorknobs resembled the silver Christmas ornaments that we had at Court. I smiled at the memory of spending Christmas with Lissa. She was always happy when that day came around.

I was snapped back to the real world when I heard Alek tap the keycard to open the door to our room. It had plenty of space and it too smelled sweet. There were two full sized beds on one side, a lazy boy recliner sat by the small night stand, and two love seats occupied the living area. There was a TV sitting on the wall just ahead and between the beds. A small refridgerator sat beneath it. The bathroom was at the far end of the room and just before the bathroom door was a little silver bar meant to be a closest, I suppose. We piled our bags in that small area.

I walked over to one of the beds and threw myself back. A pillow flew up and landed on my face. I laughed. "This is nice."

"Eh. I liked the sweetheart suite better." Alek said with a mocking tone. I threw my pillow at him and he nearly fell into the night stand. He hugged the pillow to himself. "Mine now." I stuck him the tongue.

"Okay children. Let's get dressed and set off for the scouting process." Dimitri opened a bag and pulled out some black clothes. "We'll need these to stay hidden." he tossed some over to Alek, Adrian and myself.

I looked around, "I'm going to change in the bathroom." I walked passed them all, "Yell once you all are done so I can come out." I shut the door behind me and started undressing. I caught a glimpse of the scratches that the starved Strigoi left me. All of my left side was trailed with thin lines. I traced a finger over them and felt the roughness of the scabs. "Stupid." I threw my black shirt on. It was a loose fit but it was comfortable. I slid the pants on with ease and pulled my hair back into a tight ponytail. I knocked on the door. "You all done?"

As if practice, they replied in unison, "Yea."

I stepped out and all three were wearing the same attire as myself. I nodded, "Nice."

"Okay. Does everyone have a watch?" Dimitri stuck out his wrist and exposed his watch. He looked around to everyone.

I nodded and tapped my grey and black watch. My mother had given it to me once I was given Lissa as my official charge. Alek nodded and uncovered a plain black watch. It suited him and if I wasn't mistaken there was a button to light up the face. Adrian smiled and flashed his gold watch. "Always."

"Good. Syncronize the time and once we separate for our spots we will start the timer for three hours." We all leaned in and made sure our times were on the mark. He looked up. "Once your time is up get the hell out and make your way straight back. Be sure you are not followed." He gave each of us a stern look but his eyes read something of concern when they stopped on me. I gave a small smile to try to convince him not to worry. The smile was returned but I could tell he couldn't shake the feeling.

"Remember, stay low, stay quiet, and stay out of reach." He looked at Adrian, "And if you're wearing anything strong please wash up now. They'll be able to smell you if you're sitting with the dead."

Adrian sniffed his shirt and shook his head. "I'm good. All my 'scent' stayed on _my_ clothes."

I nodded. "It's now or never, boys".

By Shadow-Kissed Mori


	17. Chapter 17

It felt like I had been holding my breath. I could feel my blood rushing and my heart pounding. This was it. We took our marks and waited for Dimitri's signal. All I could see was two quick flashes of light and I marked my time and ran into the darkness. Three hours from now we would be planning our suicidal mission. It was definitely a rush.

Trees flew by me in clusters and my feet felt light as they touched the ground to gain momentum. I ducked and twisted my body to go through small or narrow spaces as I made my way through. The next thing I knew the ground was no longer beneath my feet. The earth rushed by me in flashes as I fell. _Stupid, stupid, stupid. _I was in so much of a hurry that I didn't notice the sudden drop into an open drain. Luckily my reflexes were refined enough for me to catch my fall just before I hit the bottom. Only problem was when my feet landed they sent an echo through the concrete tunnels. I froze. My eyes darted and examined the three gaping holes that stared back at me. But I couldn't make out anything in the dark. I knew that even though I couldn't see they could. I stayed completely still and let my eyes adjust to the lack of light.

I tried my best not to make noise as I followed the markings on the walls. Some were just simply nail markings while others where strange to me. They looked foreign but it was possible that it was Russian. I couldn't really tell for sure. I kept my body low and close to the walls. My caution level was at an all time high. If I were to be caught down here alone I'd be in some major trouble.

There was a dim light starting to emerge from behind a thick screen. An alarm went off in my head. _Don't do it, Rose. It's too dangerous._ I just shook that thought from my head and reached for the screen. I slowly shifted it to the side and peered through into a large room. It was decorated with wooden boxes, plastic, and drapes that ranged in color from grey to black covering the walls. _Whomever decided on the color scheme didn't think too much out of the box_.

There were five golden chairs sitting on a platform that was obviously not origanally there. The four set off behind the main chair were curvy and delicate looking with plush red cushions. They looked to be of French design. I say this only because they reminded me of the Fleur-de-lis. But the main chair was massive. I could probably fit three of me on it. It had the same curvy design but the cushion was pitch black and there were five stones that marked the top of the chair. They each held a different color but they somehow complemented each other. That's when I saw a drape move. There was a draft coming from a second enterance to the left of the chairs.

The few beings that were in the room looked to be human. They were dressed in robes and were setting up cups and dishes on a large table. I couldn't make out their faces. Most likely servants. I kept watch on the second opening I spotted. They were going to be coming soon. A shock ran through me. _They are coming back_. _And I'm sitting at one of their enterances_. I slowly released the screen and backed up keeping a close eye on it. I ended up in the open and started heading towards the way I came.

Foot steps echoed through the tunnels and my body froze. They were coming fast. I looked down at my watch and saw that it had been just a little over an hour. I couldn't tell which direction the sound was coming from I started feeling along the walls and looking up, praying that there would be an opening somewhere. Anywhere. _There. _

There was a large gap in the wall that looked just big enough for me to squeeze into and hide. I slid into it easily. I kept my breaths light and low. Just seconds later five figures passed me by. They looked like teens dressed to go out and party. One girl had short curly light brown hair. Her makeup was heavy and her skirt was so short that if she leaned forward slightly the guys were sure to get a show. Two of the guys looked alike. The only difference between them was that one was dressed like a prep while the other had a black overcoat. The preppy one looked like a jock that walked out of a bad teen movie while the other looked like a bad boy. I was guessing that they were twins with different tastes. The other girl had black hair streaked with all kinds of colors. I could only make out the purple and blue in the dark though. She had her hair pinned up so it spiked every-which-way. Her makeup made her look even paler than she was, as hard as that is to imagine. She was dressed in a netted shirt with a purple cropped shirt beneath it. Her black leather pants were squeezing her and her boots looked like they'd hurt if you got kicked in the face with them. The last guy looked sad. He kept his eyes to the ground and walked like he carried a heavy burden. His button up shirt was royal blue and his khaki slacks were fitted nicely. He didn't look so bad, I guess.

I wanted to wait until I couldn't hear them when all of a sudden the preppy looking twin stopped. He sniffed at the air. "Gabe."

The sad one stopped and looked at him. "What?" His Russian accent was thick and it made me shiver. There was always a coldness to their voices.

He flinched just barely and straightened himself out. He wafted the air towards him and took in a deep breath, "Do you smell that?" His lips curled into a cruel looking smile.

Gabe sniffed at the air and his eyes fluttered closed. A few seconds passed before his eyes shot open. "There's someone here."

All of them put their noses to the air and started sniffing around. They started wandering around trying to find the source. Me. I held my breath and placed my hand on my stake. _Don't find me. Please don't find me. _

Gabe's eyes shot at me. It felt like he was staring right at me. He tilted his head and squinted lightly. I tried my best not to move at all. Time froze. Our eyes were locked on one another. I could see the red ring encircling his grey eyes. I was sure he could see me.

The brunette placed her hand on his shoulder which broke his gaze. "Do you see something, love?" Her accent was French for sure.

He gave her a small grin. "No. I thought I did but it was nothing." He pulled out of her reached and began his walk down the tunnels. The others looked around at one another and reluctantly dropped their search to follow his lead.

The prep kicked at the air and snarled, "We'll get you later!" He looked very upset at the fact that they had to go. He walked into the darkness and I waited until all I could hear was drips from leaking pipes.

I slipped out of the gap and steadied my breathing. That could have been a disaster. I stood up straight and started down the tunnels to the drain I had fallen through. Light was pouring in from it compared to the darkness that was down here. I was just about to start up the latter when a voice from behind me made me go stiff.

"What are you doing down here?"

I slowly turned. I knew that voice. It was Gabe. I tried to smile but he didn't seem interested in my game. "I was just taking a walk when I fell down here. I didn't see the hole." I forced a small laugh.

He stepped towards me, "Okay. Let me ask you again, dhampir." He glared at me, "What are you doing down here?"

"I told you. I fell." I began to reach for my stake when he slammed me against the wall. I lost my grip and the stake went tumbling out of reach.

He breathed in my scent. "And you just decided to sneak down the tunnels and go nosing around my den? I don't think so." His grip on my neck tightened. "Who sent you?"

I made a choking sound, "Please. I just got lost. I didn't mean to." My mind was racing. He had his body pressed to mine so I had no room to kick him off. My hands had no space to sneak up and hit him without him seeing it coming. I could attempt it but...

He sighed heavily, "Stop you're feeble planning and just tell me. This is getting really dull." He loosened his grip. "Your type doesn't just wonder off in Russia, fall down a rabbit hole, and go wondering around for no reason at all."

"Okay, okay. I'm looking for someone." I was starting to get dizzy from the lack of oxygen to my brain.

"Who?"

"A hunter. Someone is hunting me." I was trying my best not to sound panicked but I felt like if this went on any longer I might lose conciousness and who knows what would happen to me then.

He dropped me. "You have the wrong place. Leave." He turned his back to me and started to walk away.

"How do you know that for sure?" I rubbed my neck. It was already starting to feel sore.

He glanced back, "My clan doesn't hunt without my say so. And we don't hunt dhampirs for food."

He kept his eyes on me as I picked up my stake. I sheathed it. "Do you know of any other clans around here that do. Someone looking for Rose or Dimitri?"

He turned suddenly, "Dimitri?"

I took a step back and readied myself. He could come in for another attack. I'd be ready for him. "You know him?"

He laughed out. It made me feel uncomfortable. "Sure. How is Belikov?"

It was my Dimitri all right. I shifted my stance. "That depends. How do you know him?"

"Well, that is a long story." He walked off to the side and leaned against the wall. He almost reminded me of Dimitri with his graceful movements.

I looked him over, "Obviously not that long. You don't exactly look that old."

He bowed, "Thank you." He pulled something out from beneath his shirt and started playing with it. "We were friends once when we were younger. His mother took pitty on my family when they had nothing either. The blind leading the blind, so to say."

I relaxed slightly but I wouldn't let him catch me off guard. "How do I know you're not lying? You could say anything to get information on him."

He nodded, "I suppose that's true."

There was a long pause, "And you're not going to try to prove otherwise?"

He laughed, "It was so long ago that I have no proof."

"Well who's to say _that's_ true?" I eyed him a few minutes more before I couldn't help my curiosity, "What is that you keep fiddling with?" I gestured to his hands. For some reason I couldn't keep from shaking.

"This?" He held up the object. It was a silver ball about the size of a quarter. "It's the only thing that keeps me sane." He let out a chuckle.

There was another long pause. I sighed, "He's fine. We actually..." I paused. I could hardly believe that I was going to tell this guy about Dimitri. "We're married."

His eyes widened, "Really? Wow." He nodded towards me, "Congratulations are in order then."

I nodded back, "Thank you." I gave my next question great thought. "So who do I tell Dimitri asked about him?"

"Nobody." There was no tone to his voice. He sounded very serious and very unemotional.

"But you said you knew him. You were once friends, right?" I was so confused. If they were friends back then why wouldn't Dimitri want to know I found him?

He smiled, "Like I said, that was a long time ago." He turned his back to me and started off into the dark. "Leave."

"Gabe."

"Leave, Rose." I could barely make out his figure in the tunnel. He was tall like Dimitri but his build was more slender. Maybe it was just the clothes. I decided I had been given the chance to live and let live, so I took it.

I looked down at my watch. I still had half an hour to burn but this wasn't the place. I had to tell the others before something happened. Before someone got hurt. I made my way out of the drain and started in a sprint towards the south side where I would find Dimitri and Adrian. I couldn't help but feel that I might be too late.

The woods thickened and the smell of death clotted my senses. I was here. It reminded me of a dead animal. Humans probably didn't venture this deep into the wood in order to smell it but even if they did they wouldn't think 'This smells like a dead person'. I started looking through the branches in search for a shadow, a figure, or face. Then my body started to tingle. My magic was being summoned without my having to call it up. _Could be because of the panic? _I was really beginning to feel hopeless when I saw them. Adrian wasn't experienced staying hidden and by the look of it he was bored of playing the spy game.

I leapt up the branches with more grace than I thought I possessed. Dimitri's stake met my neck when I landed beside him. "It's me."

He gave me a horrified looked, "Rose, I could have hurt you. What are you doing here?"

"It's not them. We have the wrong clan." My breaths were barely catching up with me. I was taking in gulps of air.

He gave me a puzzled look, "Wrong clan? How do you know?"

I swallowed hard. Should I mention his name? "I kind of had a little talk with one of them."

He covered his face with his hands and sighed, "Why would you...?" He dropped his hands, "Alright. What did this Strigoi say exactly?"

"Well, I was doing my scouting when I heard a group of them coming. So I hid." I motioned my hands to rememble me sliding into the gap. "Five walked by when one caught my scent."

"Your scent?"

I shook my head, "Let me finish." He nodded. "He signalled the head guy that was with them. Once he noticed it too they all started searching."

Adrian gasped, "And they found you?"

"Not quite."Dimitri gave me a concerned look. "Don't tell me you tried to take them on." He looked me over. "I don't see any blood." His gaze stopped at my throat. He reached out and touched it. "Who did this?" His face gave way that he was angry. Livid even.

I shook my head and smiled, "It's nothing. Can I finish?"

Adrian waved, "Continue."

I cleared my throat, "Well after a few moments for some reason he called off the search. So they all started down the tunnels. I waited until I couldn't make out a sound."

"Good girl." Adrian smirked and patted my shoulder.

"He knew you were there." Dimitri kept eye contact with me. "At any point did he look at you?"

I nodded, "While I was in hiding I thought I saw him looking directly at me."

"That was when he called it off."

I couldn't believe he could tell all of that just with that little information. "Yea."

"Go on. When did he appear again?"

Adrian gave a shocked look at Dimitri and looked back at me, "So the leader is the one that you talked to?"

"Shh." I clasped my hand over his mouth. "Yes." I released him. "I was almost out of the tunnel when he came up behind me. He just asked why I was down there. I gave him some excuse that I was lost."

"He didn't buy it."

"Right. So I started for my stake. Of course he saw it coming. And he was fast." I touched my neck. "That's when this happened." I looked away. "He pinned me on the wall and continued to question me until I told him the truth. Once that was out he let me go. But then..." I stopped. I had to tell him.

He tilted my head back up to look him in the eye, "Then what?"

I took in a deep breath, "I told him who I was and I mentioned your name. Your name caught his interest."

He looked so befuddled. "Roza." The way he said my name said a million things. Disappointment. Concern. Frustration. I knew he thought I knew better but the fact remained that he knew that I was more interested in details and information. He sighed, "Did he say why?"

I nodded, "He said you were old friends. I heard one of the others call him Gabe." I looked at him waiting for any sign of recognition of the name. There it was. His eyes were on me but his mind was far away in time.

"Gabe." He said the name like it was a ghost. "That's not possible."

I shook my head. "He answered to that name. Why is that impossible?"

He looked worried, "Gabe died." He paused, "I killed him."

Shock ran through me. I was dumbfounded. _Killed. Dimitri killed his friend?_ I was so lost. "Why would you... he said you were friends."

"We were until he turned." He was back in our reality again. But he looked upset.

I looked away and thoughts of when Dimitri as a Strigoi danced through my mind. There was once a time when I thought I had to kill him in order to save him. Save him from the nightmare of being a monster he never wanted to be. But I couldn't bring myself to kill him. The one time my stake went into his chest my heart broke. Even then I hadn't killed him. Would I have been able to kill my best friend to 'save' her? Could I kill Lissa if I had no choice? "He chose to turn?"

He shook his head, "My family and I were out for the evening when I got the news. Gabe's family had been attacked in their own home. Gabe was left alive but not as he was." He rubbed his hands over his face and raked his fingers through his hair. "Nobody had the heart to do it. We were still so young." He sighed, "But one night I woke and found him staring me down. He was just standing there over my bed." He was drifting back to that day. "He lunged at me. Then wrestled each other on the ground and ended up breaking my night stand. He was strong but I was able to fight him off. I took him down and held him there." He shut his eyes. "I looked down at him and all I saw was Gabe." His eyes shut tightly, "I reached out and grabbed a broken piece of wood and..." His eyes opened slowly. "He was gone."

I touched his arm. "Then why is he still here?"

Dimitri shook his head, "I... I don't know."

"Well this story time is fun and all but I think we need to stop Alek from falling into a death trap." Adrian was already assessing a way down from the tree.

My heart jumped, "Alek."

Dimitri snapped back to his stern and professional way. "How many did you see in all?"

"I saw five Strigoi and about six to seven servants. I couldn't tell if they were Strigoi or not." I felt a little ashamed that I couldn't identify that small part.

"Let's go." Dimitri grabbed Adrian's arm and jumped down. I heard a quick gasp and then a soft thud. Hopefully Dimitri had a good grip on him.

I jumped after them and landed just a few inches from touching Dimitri. Adrian was still fully intact. We took off in a semi-quick sprint towards Alek's assigned area. We had to hold back to let Adrian keep up. It was a slight burden but we couldn't just leave him and I wasn't about to stay behind. Adrian stayed between us so that we wouldn't lose him and so we could protect him from the branches whipping by.

When we finally reached where he was _suppose_ to be he wasn't there. Dimitri looked around, "You two stay here. I'm going around to see if he shifted his station."

I grabbed Dimitri's arm, "I can't just wait for you."

He smiled at me, "You need to wait here just in case he comes back." He caressed my face, "I'll be right back."

I pulled him to me and our kiss was like fire. Full of passion, desire, and want. I didn't want him to go. But he had to. This was the way of our world. Our lips parted and it felt like a century had flown by. "Be careful."

He leaned his forehead against mine, "I'm always careful." He pulled out of reach and was gone.

Adrian was trying to distract himself with other things. He was looking around when I noticed he was staring at me. "What?"

He took a step forward and reached out, "Don't move." He weaved his hands through the air around me. I stayed still. I felt a need to know when my magic was acting up. "Your aura is huge."

I scuffed, "What is that suppose to mean?"

"No, I mean it looks like it's starting to spread further out." He started circling me.

"Is that safe?" I lifted my hands and looked at them. I wished I could see what he was seeing.

He shrugged, "A normal aura engulfs you. It stays near you and exposes what you feel. Your state of mind." He stopped right in front of me and looked me up and down. "Yours is expanding. I've never seen anything like it." He shook his head, "What the hell is going on with you?"

My heart started to race. I had noticed my magic was building up inside earlier but I was in too much of a hurry to actually worry about it. I didn't think anything of it. I thought it might have been just because I was so stressed. "What do I do?"

He shook his head, "I don't know. I have no idea." He looked deep in thought, "Do you have any silver on you?"

My hand went straight to my necklace. The rose felt cold in my palm. "I have this." I dangled it at him.

He touched the tips of his fingers on it. "That will work." He reached behind my neck and unclipped it. He was so close that I could still smell his cologne from his other clothes. He took a step back and held it in his hands. He shut his eyes and held a look of deep concentration.

"I can see you've been practicing." I grinned at his focus.

He opened his eyes and winked at me. "You think you're the only one that practices on their magic?" He took a step towards me and reclipped the necklace around my neck. He slid his fingers along the chain and rested the rose on my chest. "Lovely."

He took a few steps back and looked me over. I held out my arms to my side, "Well? What do you see?"

He smirked, "It actually worked. Your aura is starting to enclose around you."

I laughed, "Good guess."

Quick foot steps were coming our way. I spun around and took my stance. I was ready for anything. Adrian rested his hand on my shoulder, "Don't worry. It's them." Dimitri and Alek emerged from the dark and I relaxed.

I felt relief come over me. They were fine. "So you told him?"

Dimitri nodded, "He knows."

"Then I guess it's off to the next location." Alek rolled up his sleeves and leaned against a tree.

I was a little lost, "Wait. Don't you need to figure this thing out?"

Alek gave me a confused look. "Figure what out? They told you they didn't know us, right?"

My gaze shot to Dimitri. He was already watching me and shook his head. "Right. Right..."

He looked between the two of us. "I'm missing something."

Adrian sighed, "We need to get a move on."

Alek held up a hand, "Don't try to go over my head. I'm not stupid." He looked at Dimitri. "What's going on?"

"There's no need to worry about this issue. It's something I'll deal with later." He automatically touched his stake.

I still couldn't wrap my mind around it. Did he really intend on trying to end Gabe's life? Did he have the strength to do it again? "Dimitri?"

He didn't look at me, "Not now. Please."

The three men started off ahead of me. I could barely get my feet to move from that spot. But I knew I had to. In time this whole story would unravel. I just had to be patient. I stayed behind them and kept at their pace. Dimitri never looked back once. He was clearly upset. But I still felt like telling him was the right thing to do. He needed to know. And I definitely didn't want any secrets between us. Yet this time it was him keeping something from me. _What a hypocrite! _I tried my best to be understanding but it was the same issue either way.

We reached the hotel room and went straight to business. Alek pulled out his trusty map and we all gathered. Well everyone but me. I took a seat on a bed and laid back. This was an unmitigated disaster. I closed my eyes and just tried not to be mad. I shouldn't be. It wasn't that big of deal if you didn't count the fact that Dimitri was hiding something from me and didn't want to confront his problems. I mean, come on! It was his best friend! Who wouldn't be worried if they thought they had killed someone that they cared about and it turns out that they are still alive?

I shot up from the bed, walked up to Dimitri and wrapped my arms around him from behind. "You can trust me. You know you can tell me anything, right?"

He gently caressed the backs of my hands, "I do trust you, Roza." He sighed heavily, "But right now is not the time to be going on a side quest. We still need to find the dangerous ones. The ones that threaten to take you." He turned to face me. I felt so small in his presence.

"So what you're saying is that we will deal with this later?"

There was a long pause, "I'm saying that I'll take care of it once this is all over and done with."

"Wait, what about us being a team? I could help you. You know it'll be more dangerous alone." I gripped on to his shirt.

He shook his head, "This is exactly why I didn't want to discuss this now."

I looked around and realized Adrian and Alek were still standing by the table watching the scene I had just created. My brow rose, "Do you mind?"

They both started to make for the door. Adrian put his hands up, "No, no. I get it."

"Yea, I totally understand. You need privacy." Alek followed close behind him, shielding his eyes. It looked almost like he was trying to rush Adrian out the door.

Adrian reached for the door knob. "Of course! I feel stupid..." I couldn't hear the rest as they exited out into the hall. But I could definitely make out the mumbling sounds.

I looked back at Dimitri. He was looking back at me with a disappointed expression. It made me take a step back. He sighed heavily and raked his fingers through his hair, "We don't have time for this."

"Well we damn well should make some time. This is serious!" I grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand down.

"I know that! This has been serious since we figured out we were going on this whole mission!" He pulled away from my grasp. "Rose, this isn't some trip to go hunting any and all Strigoi. That would just be wreckless."

I scuffed, "I know that."

"Then stop trying to rush me into facing my problems right now! I have my hands full trying to keep you safe." He placed his hands on my shoulders. "Let me take care of you."

I smiled trying to bring the tension in the room to a stand still. "I can handle myself. You need some space to take care of you too."

He smirked, "I thought that was your job." I laughed and he pulled me to him. I always felt so secure and safe in his embrace. "So can we please just leave this issue for later?"

I really didn't want to but I didn't want to argue anymore. And I didn't like to see Dimitri look at me like I was putting more on him than he could bare. I nodded reluctantly. "We will discuss it at home."

He slightly tightened his arms around me and took in a breath. I could hear relief filter the frustration out of the air. It was nice to be back to normal. Well, as normal as it would ever get.

There was a knock on the door. "Hello?" It was Alek. "May we come back in?"

"Come in." Dimitri held me in his arms a moment longer before releasing me. "Sorry." I took a seat at the table beside Dimitri and propped my chin into my hands. "Let's start on plan B. Where do we look now, Comrade?"

A smile spread on Dimitri's face but soon faded as he went over the map. "The next location isn't that far from here but we will need to be even more careful." His eyes shot up to look at Alek. "Why didn't you suggest this place first?" He tapped on a small encircled name on the map.

Alek raked his fingers through his hair, "Well because of location. We'd have no cover, no place to hide. We'd basically be sitting ducks." He returned Dimitri's rueful gaze. "It's probably the most insane place to look."

I nodded, "Then that's where we are going."

By Shadow Kissed Mori


	18. Chapter 18

The train ride to the next location was relatively quick. Stantsiya Morskaya was the next station we reached in order to find the town. It was a tiny town much like Baia only that the houses were scarce and wood surrounded the majority of the residences. It looked to me like most of the houses were vacant. I was guessing that the people abandoned their homes once plenty of them started going missing. Some houses even looked like they might have been burnt.

"This is a lovely town." I shot a glare to Adrian. He was staring out the window like he was actually enjoying the sights.

I laughed uneasily, "You can't be serious."

He smirked with that ever so smug yet seemingly attractive smile of his, "No. I'm not."

Alek was tapping his fingers on the dash board. This tiny rental car was insanely small. But I had to admit trying to fit the guys and myself in it was kind of funny. Sydney would have been rolling over in agony if she ever had to drive this car. It was not exactly a classic. Dimitri was driving, of course. I had suggested to be the driver but they all looked at me like I was crazy. _I'm a perfectly capable driver!_

"We will be nearing the location soon. We will stop a mile from the designated area and walk from there." Dimitri had this all planned out. We studied that map all night and then again all the way over on the train. We had the area figured out but we didn't know if they had security, scouts, or if we could walking into a death trap. "Adrian will be with me again. I could use your skills to see if there's Strigoi around." He looked at me, "I would suggest that you go with Rose but..."

"You don't trust her?" Adrian almost sounded shocked. But I knew better. He was just being an ass.

He would have been dead if Dimitri's eyes were daggers. "I trust her just fine." He looked back at me. "But I know Rose tends to run into trouble. And I'd rather she be worried about herself instead of protecting you."

Adrian shrugged, "Okay."

Alek pulled out his map and cleared his throat," Um, I am taking the last houses to the west." He traced his fingers over the area as he spoke. "Rose, you will take this area. It has more cover so you have more freedom to move around." I nodded. "Dimitri, you will be here." He encircled an area that seemed to be twice as big as ours. "I know it's a lot to handle but you'll have Adrian scanning the area so you will be aware if Strigoi are near." Dimitri just nodded.

"And where will I be?" Alek looked at Adrian like he just asked a stupid question.

"With Dimitri." He pulled the pack of cigarettes out of Adrian's pocket. "You won't be needing these."

Adrian reached out to retrieve them, "Don't get rid of those just yet. I'll need one once this whole 'mission' is over."

Alek popped the glove compartment open and tossed them in, "Well then you know where they will be."

"Mean."

I nudged his arm, "Don't complain. We have things to do."

He lifted his hands in defense, "Who's complaining?" He dropped his hands on his lap and sighed heavily. "So how long do we scout and are we allowed to make a move?"

"No actions." Dimitri's voice thundered through the little car. I knew he was directing it to me even though the last encounter wasn't entirely my fault. I was just caught off guard. It wouldn't be happening again. "Three hour scout, like before."

Adrian forced out a laugh, "Great. Three hours." He ran his fingers through his hair, "I should have brought some crossword puzzles or something."

That last comment made me smile. Although he could be infuriating I loved Adrian's sense of adding humor to even the most miserable situations. I patted his shoulder and repeated myself, "Don't complain."

He flashed me one of his smiles, "I never do, little dhampir."

Alek's map ruffled noisily as he folded it back up and pocketed it. "Please do not stray from the plan. We cannot afford to send out a rescue party." He turned in his seat and looked at me in particular. _Why is everyone squaring me off?_ "Please."

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest, "Single out people much?"

Adrian nudged me, "Don't complain."

The car came to a stand still as Dimitri pulled off into a heavily covered area. I would be amazed if one of our tires didn't pop from the rubbled we parked on. "We are here."

We all unloaded from the car and got ready. I checked to be sure I had my stake in reach and ready to go. My new outfit was more suitable than our last mission. The shirt I wore before had been so loose that I had snagged and ripped it in different spots. This one was form fitting and breathable. I actually kind of liked it. If I didn't ruin it on this mission I was so going to keep it. The black jeans were more comfortable too. They were slightly tighter than the last pair and easier to manuver in. I took my place between Alek and Dimitri.

Alek lifted his wrist and touched his watch. "Once we are in place, Dimitri will give the signal and we begin."

Dimitri nodded, "Right. I will give everyone five minutes to reach their areas so be ready if you get unsteady." He looked around the group with concern in his eyes but when they stopped on me I could actually feel the heaviness of it. He was really worried for me. I didn't want him to be. He needed to be worried for himself and Adrian. He already had his plate full. "Ready?"

I placed my hand on his forearm and squeezed, "Don't worry. I'll be fine." I smiled at him as sweetly as I could.

He leaned forward and kissed my forehead, "I know you will be." When he stood straight his warrior face was on. It was a look that I loved on him and honestly I found it sexy and a total turn on.

With that we all ran off in our own directions. Alek had been right about my paths. There were none. I had to really twist and turn and slip through areas. The branches reached out and whipped at my body and face. I knew I had been caught a few times but I had no time to stop and cater to a little scratch. I finally found the area Alek had described to me earlier on the train.

_I was busy staring out the window watching the beautiful scenery disappear and turn into woods. It was still pleasant but I prefered the art work that was put into the buildings. The architects were brilliant. I felt a hand land on my shoudler._

_"Rose?" Dimitri was looking at me like I was a student that just got caught day dreaming when I should have been paying attention to the lesson. "Did you get that?"_

_I shook my head slowly, "Sorry."_

_Alek just smiled, "So again, Rose. Your spot is pretty obvious compared to the rest of your surroundings. There's high ground on your side and it is completely void of trees."_

_I nodded, "Right. High ground with no trees."_

_"And you will be able to see the tops of the houses further down. Once we begin You need to drop down and search the five houses on that area." He looked at everyone with confidence, "The rest are ours."_

_Adrian took a drink from his cup of coffee, "You forgot about the part of her not doing anything risky." He winked at me. _

_"As if I would."_

_Dimitri smiled at my denial, "You would. But try not to."_

I smiled to myself remembering Dimitri's gorgeous smile. It made butterflies flutter in my stomach. I cleared my mind an focused on the task at hand. I could save that image for later. I looked out towards Dimitri's spot. It seemed like time was crawling by when I finally saw the flashes of light. The signal.

I bolted down the side of the mound and found myself at the base of a house that looked like someone had tried to set fire to it. The door was half gone but luckliy it was the bottom half missing. I was able to fit myself through without making any loud noises. The inside was a disaster. The floor was barely a whole piece. The living room I found myself in was small and mostly empty except for the ripped up and broken couch. The floural patteren didn't do it justice.

I made my way over to the hall. It branched out to three rooms. I stayed against the wall and carefully took my steps one foot at a time. I peered into the first room. The door was already open so it wasn't a problem. It had a small bed and dresser. There was some pieces of the ceiling on the floor. The designs of sports memorbilia made me conclude that this was a little boy's room. But it was empty.

The next room I checked had the door closed. But it was a perfectly fit door so it made little to no sound when I turned the door knob. The room was a wreck. The bed was flipped, the dressers were smashed to bits, the closet looked like it was turned inside out, and the floor might as well have been made out of the roof. I wouldn't have thought anything of it until I saw a crib. It was perfectly intact but I couldn't help but start thinking about babies and if that one had come out of this mess okay. My heart ached.

I was so distracted that when a loud thud came from behind me I nearly jumped out of my skin. I pressed against the wall and my eyes automatically began to quickly scan the area for anything. The second thud sounded like it was coming from under my feet. I lowered myself to the ground and placed my ear to the floor boards. I could barely make it out but there was definitely something down there.

I tip toed to the last room. There was actually no door and it lead into the kitchen. This house just took you in a circle. I kept scanning the walls for any way to get into the basement. But this house was a mess and starting to get crowded. I wasn't going to be able to be quiet going over a mountain of crud. I cursed to myself and tried my best to find clearings in the mess. And there it was again. That loud thumping was starting to become constant and a little louder if I wasn't mistaken.

I finally got through, not without some troubled areas, and ended up in a wash room. There was a door staring me in the face beside some old pipes rusting in the walls. I slowly opened it. To my dismay it cried out a low creak before I was able to open it far enough to fit through. I cringed and hoped that the thumping would continue and dismiss the noise. Relief swept over me as I heard the next thump. I slid into the doorway and started down a short staircase. My heart was beating so loud I placed my hand over my chest trying to calm myself. My adrenaline was already pumping into my system. I was getting a high off of it and my body got uneasy trying to sustain myself.

A shadow stretched out in front of me and I froze. Thoughts flew through my mind as I tried to plan out the next steps. With my hand ready on my stake I leaned forward and peeked into the dimly lit room. The only light was coming from a window that was letting it pour through. It was enough to help me see. But there was no one. Just a bunch of junk. The thumping noise I had heard was just a piece of the ceiling that broke off and was hanging on. It was just swinging back and forth bouncing off the wall. And the shadow, it was just a tree outside.

I sighed heavily, "Shit."

I turned and started making my way out of the basement. This was a waste of time. I had just spent too much time in this house. I still had a few more to check. _Shit._ I just pushed past all the crap and stepped out into the night. I had taken two steps when I saw them. It was just two but it looked like they might be on patrol. They stood straight up and talked as if they were just on a late stroll. One lit a cigarette and offered one to the other. He shook his head.

I pressed myself down in the grass and hoped that they couldn't see me or smell me. I sniffed at my clothes. No obvious scent. I kind of smelled like the house I just left. Crawling through that mess left its stench. The only time I would be glad for it too. I kept low and watched as they kept going. Once they were out of sight I marked my watch at what time they walked through. I scanned the area and got up when I decided it was all clear.

I slowly trailed them trying my best to track their steps. But lets face it, I'm not a trained tracker. I did a pretty good job considering because just minutes later they were back in sight. I looked down at my watch. I have and hour and a half left. _I still have time. _

I waited for about twenty minutes then they circled back and ducked down between two houses. I waited and then turned the corner of the house to see where they went. There was nothing. Just woods. I slid into the shadows and searched the area for any secret enterances. There had to be something. They couldn't have just disappeared into thin air. And that's when I saw it. A giant tree that sat on a large hill. Very much like the one I was stationed at. It had some vines and bushes surrounding the base but I could smell the damp earth from it being dug up.

I dropped to the ground and army crawled to a bush. It was enough to shield me from prying eyes. I slowly started moving some branches aside when I heard steps leading out. I stopped dead in my spot and didn't dare to move. A face emerged from the dark and stepped out into the open. It was a largely built man. He took in a deep breath and sighed. To my surprise he didn't even realize I was there. It made me feel like I was getting my ninja skills back.

As if by chance, I spotted Dimitri not too far off into the woods on the other side of the street. I accidently ventured into his area apparently. His eyes went wide when he noticed me. I felt the whole weight of the world lean on my shoulders as I imagined how worried he must be and the chastening I would get once this was through.

The large man walked off and turned the corner to undoubtedly patrol the roads. I waited until I couldn't hear anything but birds, crickets, and wind. It was an uncomfortable silence. I looked to where Dimitri was and all that looked back was darkness. He was gone. I slid back from my spot and slowly rose to my feet. A hand gripped my arm and tugged me.

I spun around and came face to face with Dimitri. "What the hell do you think you are doing, Rose?" His tone was harsh but low.

My heart dropped. I hate when he gets mad at me. "Nothing. I saw some Strigoi on patrol and followed."

"And you just decided to try to sneak into their lair?" His grip was tight around my arm. He was obviously upset with me.

I cringed at his tone and touch, "I didn't know for sure what it was. I was just investigating." I kept my eyes to the ground.

"Look at me." He tilted my chin up until I fixed my eyes on him. He sighed and muttered something. I'm pretty sure he cursed in Russian. "You cannot just go rushing in. God only knows what could have happened to you, Roza."

I was not going to be talked down to. Even if I was slightly in the wrong. "I would have been fine. I'm not incompetent."

He released my arm. His expression showed that I might have hurt him with my last comment. "I never thought you were." He looked away into the woods.

I sighed, "I'm sorry. Okay? I didn't..." He clasped one hand over my mouth. I instantly stopped talking and my eyes shot in the direction that he was looking.

He was staring intensely now. I was sure he had something in his sights. The next thing I knew I heard a loud BANG! My body jumped but Dimitri wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me with him into the shadows of a tree. His body was warm against mine and his scent was intoxicating. Then it happened. My magic was being summoned. I could feel it building up in my chest. I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down. But it wasn't helping. Next thing I knew I was being overtaken by the feeling of using it. I _needed_ to use it.

Dimitri must have sensed the change. "Are you okay?"

I opened my eyes. He was staring at me like he was expecting something. I didn't know what to say. I started to shake my head but then I decided not to worry him and switched to a nod instead. That didn't help. It only made him looked confused.

"I'm..." Before I could get another word out a Strigoi jumped into view. He must have heard us. _There goes my ninja theory._ I was facing him but Dimitri still had his arm wrapped around me and had his back to the Strigoi.

His hand went up to swipe at the love of my life. I couldn't hold back. I pushed the magic out of my free hand and a blast of light went through the Strigoi's left shoulder. My heart leaped with joy, excitement, and anxiety. What just happened wasn't just monumental, it was the first time in our history that a dhampir used magic in battle. Hell, it was the first time a dhampir even possessed magic!

Dimitri spun around and looked at the bleeding hole on the Strigoi. Dimitri was just as shocked as he was. The Strigoi was letting out a piercing scream and clung onto his wound like he was trying to stop the blood flow. Dimitri pulled out his stake and plunged it into the heart. It happened so fast that I was still stuck on what _I_ had just done.

"Dimitri..." I stared down at my hand and at the hole staring back at me on the Strigoi.

He kept quiet but finally mustered one word, "Y...yes?"

I let out an unstable laugh, "I can't believe that worked..."

"You knew that you could do that?" He was still staring at the Strigoi.

I shrugged, "Kind of. I practiced in my dreams."

"With Adrian?" He still sounded like he was just as astonished as I was.

I nodded, "And Sonya." I rubbed the palm of my hand with the tips of my fingers to see if I could feel it. It was normal. The feel of my hand was no different than any other day. "That was incredible."

He stood up and grabbed my hand, "That was dangerous. You don't know what could have happened."

"I know that I just took out that Strigoi and saved your life. I know that just happened." I looked him dead in the eye and refused to back down. "I know that I can handle it."

He frowned and his ruffled brow somehow made him look that much more intimidating. If not for the argument I would have found it kind of sexy. "Really? Then I guess that time that you accidently summoned your magic and went a little haywire was nothing? Right?"

I got a quick flash back and shook my head to erase the images. "That was one time, comrade. Give me a break. I'm new at this."

"So new that you don't know all the consequences of using it." He raked his fingers through his hair. "God, Rose. You don't know what it could be doing to you here." He pressed a finger to my head. "Or here." He placed his hand over my chest. I know it was bad timing but it sent sensations through my body.

I placed my hand over his, "Trust me to know what I am capable of."

He weaved his fingers with mine. "We have to go. We made too much noise, time's up and I am sure Alek will start to get worried."

My eyes went wide with fear, "Where's Adrian?"

Dimitri smiled, "Safe. In a tree."

"You left him in a tree?" I gave Dimitri a little shove. But to be honest I wasn't that mad at him. He had thought about both of our safety before jumping in.

He dropped his smile a little, "Yes. He led us here using his spirit. Then I saw you I took him to the top of a tree and told him to stay put and stay quiet."

I couldn't stop the smirk from forming on my lips. And he knew it. "Let's go get him."

We slipped through the foliage and found Adrian right where Dimitri had left him. He was sitting on a branch plucking leafs from their stems. I knew he would be bored.

"It's about time." He smiled at me, "Hello little dhampir. Getting into trouble I see." He gestured to my shirt.

I looked down and found a large spot of blood staining my chest. My shirt was black but you could still see that it was damp and tinged dark red. Dimitri leaned forward and pulled my shirt down to reveal my clevage. No marks.

"It's not my blood." He released my collar. "It was the Strigoi's".

Adrian looked like he had just been slapped in the face, "Strigoi?" His eyes darted over to Dimitri. "You found them."

He nodded, "They are hostile."

"What Strigoi isn't?" Thoughts of Gabe plagued my mind. I looked at Dimitri and I could tell he knew who I was thinking of.

He ringed his wrists, "Let's find Alek."

We rushed into the woods and eventually made it to Alek's area. He was back and right away I could make out the blood on his face and hands. I paused briefly as I watched him intensely. He looked casual as he leaned on a large tree.

"I was starting to worry." He smiled and I felt a little relieved.

I looked him over. Some of his clothes was torn. "What the hell happened to you?"

He shrugged like it was nothing, "Strigoi. Two of them."

"I trust that you took care of them." Dimitri's tone suggested that he was sure that Alek was smart enough to do so.

"Mm hmm." He waved his stake in the air. "One with my trusty stake. The other I got more inventive with."

I could tell by the blood that he wasn't exaggerating. But once again my curiosty got the best of me, "What do you mean by 'inventive'?"

His smile turned cruel. I hadn't seen that look on his face before. It was almost blood thirsty. "The house I found them in had a small tool shed." He was rubbing the blood on his hands together. It had long since dried and was now flaking off. "I tied him up, interrogated him, and then decapitated him."

He said it so plainly. Like it was an every day thing. It gave me the creeps. Dimitri grabbed my hand and held it firmly. He must have noticed my discomfort. I was glad to have him there. We always could read each other so well.

"Did you find anything of use?" Dimitri's voice was smooth. He was probably trying to calm my nerves.

Alek nodded, "I did." He pushed off the tree with his shoulder and strolled over to us. "It turns out that they know of Rose." He looked at me with some great concern. "They know of her very well."

"What do you mean?" My voice was shaky and I wasn't sure if it was fear or anticipation.

He placed a hand on my shoulder, "Rose, they are hunting you for the murder of their friends."

_The murder of their friends?_ My heart dropped. "So they are trying to seek revenge for my killing those Strigoi that attacked me and Viktoria?"

He nodded. "That's what it told me."

I shook my head violently, "No, no, no, no. _You_ killed them."

"Yea, but they think it was you. The great Strigoi killer. So great that they believe you turned Dimitri back." He looked at Dimitri. "They knew about you too."

"You did kind of help." Adrian's voice broke through the wall of anxiety.

"W...what?"

He gave a small gesture to a far off thought, "The time you told me that Strigoi attacked in St. Petersburg, you told me you fought too until you got knocked out." He reached down to his pocket as if searching for a smoke. "Alek just finished the job."

Dimitri looked like he was lost in thought. "What did that Strigoi tell you exactly?"

Alek recapped on the whole interrogation. He explained each question and relayed each answer. He even corrected himself a few times trying to get down the _exact_ wording. He wasn't messing around. They knew my name, who I was, who I guarded, where I was from. They could have written a biography on my life.

"That's it." Alek's finishing words were a great understatement.

"Oh, really? That's all? Are you sure they didn't give you my bra and panty sizes too?" My sarcasm was over the top but the information was ridiculous. _Had they been spying on me my entire life?_

Dimitri brushed a loose strand of hair off my face and tucked it behind my ear. I could feel the back of his fingers brush my cheek. That small gesture did a lot to comfort me. I sighed heavily and the frustration peeled back into worry. "Calm down, Roza."

My mind was reeling. I was so lost and confused. I was starting to hope that at one point I'd just open my eyes and we'd be back at Court waking up and getting ready for a normal honeymoon. Yes, I lived for adventure but _this_? It was a bit much.

"Rose." I opened my eyes and met Adrian's gaze he was staring at me like I was a interesting foreign object. "What did you do?"

I frowned, "Huh?" I looked around at everyone. But the only person that gave me that pensive stare was Adrian. I was positive it was a Spirit related thing. "What do you see?"

"Your aura... It looks like a supernova". He reached out to me and the next thing I knew I felt drained.

I dropped to one knee. I felt like I would have totally face planted if Adrian and Dimitri hadn't caught me. "W...what's...happening?"

Dimitri wrapped me in his arms and held me tightly to his chest. I could feel his heart thudding hard beneath his chest. If he was panicking he didn't show it on his face. What a poker player. "Adrian? What do we do?" His eyes never left my face.

Adrian looked like he was in shock. "I... I don't know. I wasn't expecting that."

Dimitri gave him a scary look, "What. Do. We. Do?"

"I'm new at this too!" He kneeled down beside us and grabbed a hold of my necklace. He squeezed it in his hand and closed his eyes. I could tell he was trying to charm the silver but I couldn't feel anything.

"Shhh." Alek's eyes darted around us. "They are coming. They know we are here." He gripped Dimitri's shoulder. "We have to get out of here. Now."

Adrian's eyes shot open and looked at me with such compassion my heart ached. "I think that might help."

"You think?" Dimitri's cool exterior was starting to chip away.

"We have to go!" Alek yanked Dimitri up. It was an incredible feet since Alek wasn't nearly as big or muscular as Dimitri. But he managed. I was guessing it was the adrenaline.

I watched the trees fly by as Dimitri carried me off in his arms. I felt in awe but at the same time kind of ashamed. I had become a burden on our group. And I was the one that brought us into this situation. _Stupid, stupid, stupid. You're weak._

My eyes started closing as darkness enclosed around me. Then I heard his voice, "No, Roza. Stay with me." Familiarity took me back to St. Vladamir's. Back when Natalie had attacked me when she was turned Strigoi. "Don't go to sleep just yet."

"You know you look really gorgeous in this lighting." I tried to smile but tears welled up in my eyes. _Why the water works?_

He smiled down at me, "You don't look so bad yourself."

My brain was starting to think funny. I was starting to feel that same uneasiness that made me babble. Like I had become unhinged. I tried to shake it off but it kept creeping back. I gripped tightly onto Dimitri's shirt. His smile twisted into something that showed fear.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I feel like I'm drifting off." I burried my face into his chest. "Please catch me before I float away." I don't know if he heard me because in that moment we found ourselves surrounded. They had caught up to us. And it was all my fault.

Adrian's voice reached me in memory. _My. Fault._

By Shadow Kissed Mori


	19. Chapter 19

I had just gotten us into a very impossible situation. There were at least twenty of them. And they were eyeballing Dimitri and me. I'm sure it was more because of me. I pushed away from Dimitri's chest. He tried to hold onto me but I was determined to be freed from his grasp. I wouldn't have minded it any other time but right now it was just a burden on us all.

"Roza". His eyes cried out to me. He wanted to protect me. He needed me to stay safe. But I couldn't promise him that. I couldn't lie to him.

I stood there with the rest of my group. My legs were still shaky and I was barely able to stay standing little lone move. I took a fighting stance and unsheethed my stake. It was now or never. If I was going to die I always wanted it to be in battle, protecting the ones I love. Dimitri, Adrian, and Alek were reasons enough for me.

I sprinted in towards the closest Strigoi. It was my best shot. It was a female. And she didn't hesitate to lunge right back at me. We met in the middle and I went flying back. She was definitely stronger. But I had the element of surprise. The surprise being my magic. She landed right on top of me with my hands on her chest. I shut my eyes, called forth my magic, and push it into her chest.

It looked like fireworks made of blood went shooting out of her back. If she wasn't dead then she was in unbarible pain. I pushed her off of me and she landed on the ground with a thud. When I looked up the world spun around. Dimitri and the others had joined the fight and were taking on two at a time. I hardly had the strength to muscle my way up. But I managed.

I rushed in right away trying my best to ignore the drunken affect that was lingering. I felt slow and sloth like. I threw a flying knee to the first face that popped up. I was amazed how easy that felt. His head bounced back and he landed a heavy hit to my side. I almost lost my balance but a tree saved me. I swung around it's skinny trunk and drop kicked him in the chest. His butt went skidding on the floor until he hit the tree behind him. I rushed at him and stabbed his chest with my stake. He went limp after a few seconds.

I pulled my stake out in time to catch a Strigoi that was trying to catch me by surprise. He landed right on my stake. Luck had to be on my side today. I was about to yank my stake out when another one landed on my back. I tried to throw it off but its claws were dug into my skin. I winced at the pain but kept trying to free myself.

All of a sudden I felt it being pried off. I looked back and saw the god-like man that just saved me. Yet again. Dimitri, in all his gloriousness, stood there breathing heavily. He stuck out a hand and helped me off the ground. I felt like I was dazed and worn out but I couldn't stop. I swore that I wouldn't stop fighting until my last breath.

He was fierce and full of fire. I was starting to feel it affect me. I was feeding off of his emotions. But then it was gone. I looked at Dimitri's eyes go wide as he gasped in air. I could see the tip of a spike peeking out of the front of his chest. He dropped down to one knee and I encircled my arms around him. It felt like I was the only thing holding him up. He was still concious but I felt so helpless. It was obvious that he was starting to fade. We needed to end this and fast.

I caressed his face before laying him on the ground. My heart sank, shattered, and ached all at once. My world felt like it was crumbling to pieces and I was frantically trying to piece it back together. My heart raced as my eyes darted from pale face to pale face.

_They are the cause of this all. If they never exisited this whole thing would have never happened. _I saw death all around me. I couldn't blame myself for wanting to kill evil. For wanting to protect myself and others. For wanting some goddamn normalcy in my life. This just wasn't fair. Why did this only exist in _our_ world?

Fury built up in me. I felt like I was on fire. Full of rage and hate. I pulled my magic into my chest. It felt like trying to force something too big into a small spot. But I needed this. I needed this to end. Now.

I filled every part of my body with the light and felt like I might burst. The last thing I heard was Adrian yelling out my name. But it was too late. I forced it all out in one huge burst. I was blinded by a bright light that seemed to be radiating off of my body. Then it disappeared just as quickly as it had came. I was left drained, tired, and feeble. I dropped to the ground. The world went black.

When I woke up I was surprised to find myself still lying in grass surrounded by trees. I was exactly where I blacked out. The night still loomed over us so I knew I hadn't been out long. I instantly sat up. _Dimitri._

My body felt rejuvinated and ready to go. All the fatigue and grogginess from before was gone. I felt like a new toy with fresh batteries. I started walking towards where I last laid Dimitri down. He was there. Eyes shut. Unmoving. My heart stopped at the sight of him. I dropped to my knees and pulled him to my chest. I shut my eyes hoping that when I opened them he would be fine. I just wanted him to be okay. To be alive. Then I felt something touch my face.

My eyes opened and found Dimitri staring back at me. His eyes were soft and kind. My heart fluttered to life. The touch of his hand on my face was like fire. It burned into me. I wanted to remember that feeling forever. I cupped his hand in mine and brushed the stands of hair off his face.

"Dimitri." My voice was barely above a whisper.

He forced a soft laugh, "That was one hell of a stunt you pulled."

I shook my head. Even when he was like this he had to chasten me. He never changes. "I know. I know. But I had to do something."

He stroked my cheek with his thumb. "No, no. You were great." He smiled and pulled me toward his face. That kiss was perfect. It was sweet, soft, and full. It filled me with light. It was... perfect. Our lips parted and his smile showed he was at ease. "If I should die this very moment I'd be fine as long as you're safe."

"But I wouldn't be fine. Not without you." I felt tears start steaming down my face. I could have cried a river from how much my heart ached.

This made his smile brighten, "You're stronger than you know, Roza."

And that's when it hit me. I could heal myself so why wouldn't I be able to heal him. My mind was spinning like crazy remembering exactly what it was that I did that made my magic do it. I shut my eyes and let my memories fill me. It was accidental and an experiment but I knew what I had done. I knew what I felt and how I transferred my magic to my wound.

Dimitri noticed my unusual concentration. "What are you scheming?" He really looked worried.

"I can heal you..." I didn't mean to whisper it but that's what it came out as. Almost like I unconciously wanted it to stay a secret. Dimitri was the only one to witness that miracle. And now he was going to experience it first hand.

He looked confused at first but then he understood. The look in his eyes said he did. "I'm not sure if you should."

"Why not? You know I can." I splayed my fingers out on his chest. The wound was deep but the bleeding wasn't heavy. Our dhampir bodies tended to heal relatively quick. I was glad for that.

"I know you can but we still don't know what will happen to you when you use your magic too much." His breathing was becoming labored. I had to do this and it had to be now before I lost him.

"Let me worry about that later." I shut my eyes and summoned the magic. It came so smoothly. It had never been this easy. I let it form in my chest and then started making it flow through me like water. I continued until it was a steady stream.

I slid my hands under his shirt and connect the tips of my fingers together encircling the hole. I focused the stream through my palms. I could feel it flowing into him. I closed my eyes and pictured his body. I could hear and feel his heart beat. Each one was like a sonar sending images of sound back at me. I could see the wound and the extensive damage. The tissues were trying to mend themselves. They weren't doing a quick enough job. His heart was struggling to keep in beat and his blood supply was running low. Any more blood loss might be fatal.

I started directing the magic to the wound. I could actually see and feel it closing up and healing. I could feel his heart beat getting stronger. I could feel his breaths coming easier. It brought relief to my gut wrenching feeling.

"Roza." I felt Dimitri grab my wrists and it jolted me from my concentration. My eyes shot open and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was gone. The wound was closed up but it left a strange looking scar. Like it was actually a newly healed scar. I ran my fingers over it and he covered my hand with his and pressed down so that my hand was flat on it. "You did it."

It was like the night lit up around me. I was filled with euphoria. Bliss was the best thing I could describe at the moment. I leaned my forehead against his. "How do you feel?"

He laughed, "Alive."

"Rose!"

I spun around. Adrian was looking back at us with such intensity that it was shocking. I hadn't seen him look so serious since our little fight back at Court about our 'relationship'. I sat up and waved at him.

"We're okay." I looked around. "Where's Alek?"

He did a very big shrug. "I, uh, I kind of need to speak to you." He was still with a stone cold expression.

I looked down at Dimitri who was already trying to sit up. "Go."

I nodded, "Just yell if you need me." I kissed his head and walked over to Adrian.

He looked down at the floor as I approached. "That was dangerous."

I gave him a confused look, "What?"

"What you did a little bit ago." He stared me in the eye, "And what you just did for Dimitri."

My heart jumped, "I don't know what you mean."

He scuffed, "Don't play stupid, Rose. I saw you." He circled around me. "I saw your aura both times too."

"What did you see?"

He shook his head. "The first one was a blast."

"I know. I felt it." I started combing through a piece of my hair with my fingers.

"No. It was scary. You didn't know what that could have done." He stuck out his arm and showed a red tinge on his forearm.

I touched it with the tips of my fingers, "What happened?" I looked him in the eye. I was afraid of my own next question. "Did... did I do that?"

A smirk spread on his lips. "It wasn't too bad. It was like the sun. Warm yet uncomfortable." He swept his arm around us. "Have you looked around the scenary?"

I shook my head and started looking around. "What about it?"

"Do you see anything odd?" One brow rose up.

I kept scanning the area but there was nothing. But then I remembered. We were surrounded by Strigoi. "There's nothing." I looked back at Adrian, "They're all gone."

"Dead, you mean."

A sense of excitement sparked in me. "I killed them?"

"Catching on quick, huh?" He laughed and started pacing.

"So what you're saying is that I shot out my magic and it had the same affect on them as the sun?" Answering a question with a question was annoying but I wasn't sure what to say. I needed to know what he knew. To understand what he saw. And I needed the information to be clear.

He paused, "Something like that." His smirk nearly erased from his face. "But what you did with Dimitri was something entirely different."

I smiled, intrigued about this healing power of mine. "What was it like?"

He looked like he wanted to smile but at the same time it seemed uneasy. "It was magnificent." He chuckled, "I mean you lit up beautifully. Your aura was like a halo around your normal colors." He started fiddling with his fingers. "But when you started transfering it into him the halo started to engulf him instead."

I was awe struck by the information. "So this power, what do you make of it?"

"It's definitely a power to be reckoned with." He leaned against a tree. "But you should take it easy. You don't know what effects it could have on you."

I nodded, "That's what Dimitri told me."

"Smart man."

We started walking back to Dimitri. Alek was standing with him. Dimitri was leaning against a tree holding himself up. I could tell by his stance that the tree was his support.

"Are you okay?" I looked Alek over for any injuries. There seemed to be a few minor cuts but nothing serious.

"I'm in one piece." He smiled. "I'm glad to see we all made it out fine."

Dimitri looked at me like I might let him in on the little trick I had just performed. "It would seem that we did."

"Let's get back to the room and relax." I wrapped my arms around Dimitri and helped him walk with the group. We all seemed to be in brighter moods and relief was filling the atmosphere. I know I was glad to be rid of the Strigoi hunting us down. But I was still curious as to how they had so much information on me.

The ride home was quiet and peaceful. The room was neat and tidy. Room service had done their job well while we were gone. I laid Dimitri down on a bed and laid down with him. I rested my head on his chest.

"Do you think it's over?"

He laughed and I felt it rumble through his chest, "I hope so." He ran his fingers through my hair. "We'll just have to wait and see."

The next few days flew by relatively fast. We stayed there for two days before heading back to Baia. I insisted that Alek come home with us. Even though he refused profusely and acted like he felt like he would be intruding I knew he was happy. He wanted to see Viktoria. If I had been away from Dimitri that long I'd be longing to see him too.

Yeva, Olena, Viktoria, Zoya and Paul waited for us with open arms. The missing sisters were both hard at work. Sonya had a job at a record store while Karolina was at a fast food stop. I'd prefer the record store.

Yeva nodded at me and smiled, "Вы вернулись в целости и сохранности. Я знал, что ты."

Olena shook her head, "Don't mind her. I'm glad you all came back." She smiled sweetly with Zoya comfortably tucked in her arms, "We were starting to miss you." She looked at Adrian and Alek. "Who are your friends?"

Dimitri placed a hand on Alek's shoulder, "This is a friend. He's from here."

Viktoria pushed her way through, "Alek!"

Red stained his cheeks instantly. "Hello Viktoria." He was the shy type.

She took his hand and pulled him inside, "I didn't know you knew Dimka and Roza so well."

They disappeared into the house. I could still hear her trying to make conversation with him. But his phrases and answers were still stammered. Definitely the shy type.

I patted Adrian's shoulder, "And this is a friend from Court, Adrian."

Adrian nodded, "A pleasure."

"A Moroi?" Yeva sounded a little rude but then again she never really sounded too pleasant often.

He laughed lightly, "Yes."

Paul clung onto Dimitri's leg. "Did you miss me?"

"Of course!" Dimitri ruffled the top of Paul's hair. He was still a little weak.

Olena suddenly grabbed my hand and started leading me inside, "Oh, and just in time. I was just cooking. Are you hungry?"

I love this woman! Mom number two was now officially my favorite cook. "Starving."

"Good, good! I made plenty."

She placed me at the table and gestured for us to sit, "Thank you, Olena."

"You can call me мама if you like."

I smiled sweetly, "I'd really like that, мама."

Her smiled brighten and it made my heart swell from how happy that made her. Dimitri took a seat beside me. He was still getting his strength back but he was able to walk by himself. Adrian sat on the other side of me. Ironic how I got stuck between them before metaphorically and now I was literally between them. Alek took a seat beside Dimitri and Viktoria took a seat beside him. _Future brother-in-law_. I smiled to myself at the thought of Alek with Viktoria.

"So how was your trip to St. Petersburg? Eventful, I hope."

_You have no idea._ "It wasn't too exciting." I moved my hands off the table as Olena made her rounds setting the plates of food down. It smelled delicious. It looked like some kind of stew.

"We decided to spend the last days here before heading back to Court." Dimitri dunked his spoon into his bowl. He obviously missed his mother's cooking as much as I did.

"Ah, so soon?" She really looked disappointed.

Adrian cleared his throat, "Well they both have to get back to their assigned charges. Lissa and Christian will be missing them."

Yeva looked him up and down, "I see. And who is assigned to you, boy?"

"A good friend of ours, Eddie." He took a sip of his soup and decided he liked it.

"So you're friends all consist of Dhampirs?" Yeva wasn't going easy on him.

He shrugged, "I never really thought about it but kind of. Yes."

"And do you do that because you feel safer or is it just because we aren't as stuck up...?"

"Mama!" Olena chastened her. "I'm sorry. You don't mind her. She's not nice."

Yeva scuffed, "I'm wise, Глупые упрямого ребенка."

I stopped my urge to laugh. I was glad to have Adrian distract her from me. I started eating my stew. It not only looked delicious but it tasted that way too. I looked over and Alek and Viktoria were having their own little discussion. It seemed to be a good one because Viktoria's face was lit up with a big smile. Hopefully Alek was making some progress.

"Roza."

I looked up, "Hmm?"

"Боль в стыковых, did you hear me?" Yeva finally realized I was there.

My smile was meek, "No, sorry. What did you say?"

She smiled and it did little to comfort the fact that she was going to run me over. "I said have you been taking care of the things that are precious to you?"

I looked at Dimitri. He had caught the double meaning as well. I switched back to Yeva, "I've been doing the best I can."

Dimitri placed his hand over mine, "She's been doing more than enough."

Yeva nodded, "Remember that you need to be cautious."

I tried to play off the uncomfortable feeling, "I know. I'll do my best."

Adrian looked around the table, "Am I missing something?"

"Это тебя не касается мальчика." Yeva shot him a glare that might have burned a hole through him.

He flinched. "Never mind."

Olena shook her head. Quick to change the subject, she jumped in, "So are you all staying here?"

"Do you have room for the lot of us?" Dimitri sounded sweet and sincere. The picture of perfection.

She laughed softly, "We can make room. You know that, Dimka."

Viktoria spoke up, "They can take the back room. Adrian and Alek will have to settle for the couch or the floor."

Alek rubbed his shoulder, "I'm use to it."

The rest of dinner consisted of Yeva's sharp tongue and Adrian's wit. It was an entertaining meal. I was still stuck in a cloud with Dimitri being the only other person sharing it with me. I couldn't get the happy image of him out of my mind. His family always brought out the best in him.

We said our good nights and headed up to our room. Quilts were placed out neatly on our bed. I laid down and stretched out.

"Good to be home."

Dimitri pulled me into his arms and threw himself back. I ended up on top of him. "Yes, it is." He sighed. It was nice seeing him so at ease. Especially considering what had almost happened.

I ran my fingers along the side of his ribs, "I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm okay because of you." He tilted my chin up to look at him. "You saved me... again."

"This is actually the first time I saved you so..."

"No, it's not." His eyes scanned my face and I felt so naked and exposed. "You saved me when you found out a way to bring me back from being... one of them. You saved me when I felt like I didn't deserve a second chance. And now this." He traced my jaw line with the tips of his fingers. "You are my hero."

Our laughs complimented each other's. So did the kiss that followed. He ran his hands up my stomach and pulled my shirt over my head. My heart was racing like crazy. He kissed the scars on my chest. It sweetened the bitter story behind the bullet wounds. He unclipped my bra with just one hand. I had to admit he was getting good at that. Then before I knew it I was bottomless. So I started on him.

I pulled off his shirt. He was more graceful than I was at this. He slipped right out of his pants too. I traced the scar that was left from the battle. It wasn't thick or bumpy but it was noticable. I leaned forward and pressed a kiss on it. I felt his heart beat speed up.

He pulled me to him and I was taken over. His presence was over whelming and his scent was intoxicating. The taste of his lips was addicting. Everything about him lured me in. I was love sick over him and I didn't mind it one bit. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he felt the same with me. We were meant to be. Our auras, our bodies, and our souls confirmed that.

I rested against him as we tried our best to tangle up in each other. His arms were warm and inviting. The room was already kind of warm so we were both sweating. His sweat somehow made his scent that much more pleasant. He ran his fingers through my hair.

"You are so beautiful." He was staring down at me. How I love those brown eyes.

I reached up and caressed his face. The smoothness of his skin made me feel dreamy. "I don't think I'll ever get use to this perfection."

He laughed, "I'm not perfect."

"But you are." We gently kissed. I felt my body burn with passion.

He frowned, "I just don't want to disappoint you when you figure out that I'm not this perfect guy you imagine me to be."

It made me laugh. I couldn't help it. "I know you have your faults. You're only human, as hard as it is to believe."

He laughed at that one. "And it doesn't bother you?"

"I know all your faults and I said 'I do'. What do you think, comrade?" I gave him a seductive smile.

He returned the smile but it was more curious than seductive. "So you think you know all my faults?"

I nodded, "Pretty much." I paused. "All except one."

He knew what I was implying. I was still curious about Gabe. I wanted to know the whole story. I wanted to know how he felt, what he was planning, what type of person Gabe was, and if he would let me help him. I wanted to be there for him even if it was just for support.

"Roza, don't." He looked away and dropped his smile.

I turned his face towards me to force him to look me in the eye. "You promised we'd discuss this when we dealt with the other Strigoi."

He gave me a stern look, "Now isn't the right time."

"When is?"

He didn't say anything. Instead he pulled me to his chest and sighed heavily. "Please. Just not right now." He kept his words low and soft. It was almost like if he spoke any louder the words would come out wrong.

I nuzzled up against him. I always gave into him. "Okay..."

We fell asleep peacefully in each others arms. I was in heaven. We hadn't been able to be like this for some time. People were always around us or the situation at hand warrented our full attention. This, this was nice.

I woke up and I realized I had only been asleep for about two hours. I was still wrapped in Dimitri's arms. But my mouth was dry and I was dying for a drink. I slowly slid out of his arms and tip toed to the door. The lock made a loud CLICK! Dimtiri shot up from the bed, ready for any danger. I smiled at his awareness.

"It's just me." I walked over to him and laid him back. "I'm just getting a drink. Be right back." I pressed a kiss to his head. He smiled, shut his eyes, and drifted back to sleep. It's amazing how easily he does that.

My walk to the kitchen was quick. I hardly remembered the walk down but then again I was still pretty tired from the day before. Not to mention the fun Dimitri and I had just had. I got myself a glass of water and just reached the bottom of the stairs when I heard someone laughing. It was coming from the backyard.

I sneaked over to the door and leaned on the wall.

"You know, you always seemed so mysterious." Viktoria laughed.

I heard Alek do a soft chuckle, "Yea, well, you know me."

"See that's just it. We never really got to know each other." She sounded really sincere and sweet. Charm obviously ran in the Belikov family.

Alek paused, "No time like the present."

There was a long silence. It made me want to step out there and tell them to get on with it. I was praying that Alek would make some progress towards letting Viktoria know how he felt.

"Well, why do you always keep to yourself?" Finally.

"I don't." He paused. "People stay away from me."

She scuffed, "I've never tried to avoid you."

"I guess you're the exception." He said it in a way that made me think he was coming on to her.

I heard someone walking. "Would that be a good thing?" That was an obvious leading question. _Play your cards right, Alek._

He cleared his throat. I was guessing that she had walked up to him. And that was getting him nervous. "I guess it would be."

It occurred to me that I could get a better view from my room. I ran up the stairs as quickly and quietly as I could and made it to the window in time to see him straighten up and take a step towards her. They were face to face. I was getting anxious for them. I slowly slid the window open to get some audio.

"Would you get mad if I, uh..." He was stammering.

"If you what?" She smiled and I could tell from his expression that it lit up his heart.

He looked her dead in the eye, "That is, would you like to go out... some time... with me?"

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, "Sure. Just say when."

It was so romantic and I was so distracted that I didn't hear Dimitri come up behind me, "That's called spying."

I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Dimitri..."

He smiled, "So Alek and Viktoria, huh?"

I smiled back and sighed, "Yea. It's so sweet."

"And you knew."

I felt a little bad about not telling him but I figured if Alek wanted him to know he would have told him. "I figured it out myself."

He wrapped his arms around me, "How did you do that?"

"A girl just knows."

By Shadow Kissed Mori


	20. Chapter 20

The next day I found myself finding it hard to say goodbye. But it was inevitible. We had to go. So with tears forming in my eyes I passed around hugs and laughs with the Belikov family, got on a plane and was headed towards Court.

Dimitri squeezed my hand in his, "We'll come visit again soon."

I nodded, "I sure hope so. I'm going to miss them."

A smile grew over my face remembering breakfast. Yeva was still breathing down Adrian's back, making him feel right at home. Olena, Dimitri and myself were in our own little conversation about marriage and each other's responsibility to look after one another. Alek and Viktoria were still buzzing from last night's happenings and stayed like that even as we departed. I kind of felt bad leaving Alek behind. He blended in well with our group and I enjoyed his company. He vaguely reminded me of Eddie.

I looked over at Adrian. He was already bringing a martini to his lips when he saw me watching. He looked like he was a kid that got caught doing something naughty. "What? I'm legally allowed."

I shrugged as if it didn't bother me one bit, "Oh, no. Go right ahead, Lord Ivashkov."

He winced, "Must you?"

"I must." I turned my attention back to Dimitri, who seemed to be more interested in opening a bag of potato chips than mine and Adrian's little spat. "Do you need help?"

He chuckled, "If you insist." He handed me the bag gingerly.

I popped it open pretty quick. "There you go."

He forced a laugh, "Thanks." He leaned towards me and kissed my head. He kind of seemed to be on edge.

"Is something bothering you?" Damn my curiosity.

He shook his head even before I finished my question, "No. I'm alright." He put on a smile I'm sure he thought was convincing but I knew better.

"There's something bothering you and you're lying to me about it... Great." I turned away from him and started messing with a piece of paper I found in my pocket. It looked like I had washed it in the pants because it was tattered and worn thinly.

"Hey." He touched my shoulder. "It's nothing, really." He paused momentarily as if he was letting the words sink in. "We can worry about it later. Just enjoy this. What's going on now."

I turned back to him. "And you promise we'll talk later?"

He nodded, "I promise you." He placed my hand to his lips and gently caressed my fingers.

That was good enough for me. I smiled meekly. "Thank you."

"Well that was easy." Adrian was watching us like we were an entertaining soap opera or something.

I shot him a glare, "What's that suppose to mean?"

He smirked, "It means you gave in too easily. I mean, look at this as a whole. He's hiding something important, suppposedly, and instead of immediately letting you know he's chosen to hide it and inform you on it later." He paused as if in thought, "And I think he just doesn't want to tell you. He's probably trying to muster up the courage to actually let the facts come out of his mouth." He gulped the last of his drink and waved to the server, "I'll have another."

My mouth was a gape. "I cannot believe you..."

He shrugged and gave a puzzled look, "Why not? I'm a pretty honest guy."

I didn't appreciate his sarcasm in this situation. "You had no right to say any of that." I scolded at him so hard you'd think he would disappear.

"Oh? I'm sure that's well within my legal rights as well." He started sipping from the full glass.

Dimitri sighed, "I think you've had enough."

Adrian scuffed, "What this?" He pointed to the glass. "This has nothing to do with it."

"He doesn't need to be drunk in order to be an ass." I shifted in my seat so that my back was facing Adrian.

"Ouch! Score one for the little dhampir team." He stuck up his arms like a goal.

I rolled my eyes, "Please, Adrian. Can't you just control yourself for a few hours. At least until we've refueled?"

"Tsk. Kind of like how you controlled yourself around Belikov?" He looked at Dimitri, "No offense."

I felt my face flush and from the look on Dimitri's face I could tell I probably had the look to kill.

He touched my arm. "Rose, don't."

I shot up from my seat and spun around so fast that Adrian flinched a little. I took a step forward and leaned down to Adrian's level. "I am tired of telling you that I am sorry and that I didn't mean to hurt you. I thought we had an understanding and could be friends but you'll never stop, will you? There's no way you could forgive me." I felt tears starting to sting my eyes. "And if that's the case I suggest that we go our separate ways once we reach Court."

He looked hurt. But in a way that was a comfort. He was starting to look off into space as I spoke, "I have no way." Even the tone in his voice was a little far off.

Then it hit me. I looked him over, "Adrian? Have you been using charms?"

He did a little bob, "Not really. Not at all in fact." He took another drink. "But I'm fine. I'm fine." That felt like it was more to himself than it was to me.

I looked back at Dimitri who was staring intensely at us. "We may have a problem."

Dimitri stood up and kneeled by my side. He looked Adrian over with some skepticism. "Adrian?"

He shifted his gaze to Dimitri. "Yes?"

He tried for a smile, "Are you feeling okay?"

He did another bob, "I'm fine. Just fine." That space like tone was still in effect.

"Did you bring any charms with you?"

He smiled, "I have plenty of natural charm, Belikov. I thought you knew that."

That comment would have made me laugh if not for the circumstances. I noticed Adrian staring at my neck line. He reached out and touched the rose. Just at that moment it was like the awe in his features changed into realization.

I waited for a response, "Adrian?"

"That was weird." He looked at the rose like it was sacred. "This may sound uncommon but...can I borrow this?"

I smiled. He had charmed my necklace to help heal me during our mission. Of course the magic hadn't been used because I didn't need it. Or really it wasn't able to heal what I had.

I nodded, "Yes, you may. But I want it back when you get your own." I unclasped it and clipped it around his neck.

"I will. I'm going to get one to match." He looked at me and Dimitri apologetically, "Kidding."

I shooked my head, "You are something else."

His smile was one with a wounded pride. "I know. I get that all the time."

Dimitri looked him over, "So you're good now?"

Adrian's nod was firm and simple, unlike his previous bob. "Yea. Thanks." He looked a tad embarressed.

Dimitri and I walked back to our seats. I looked at Dimitri and sighed, "That was fun."

He threw his head back and sighed, "It's never a dull moment with you around."

The rest of the trip was relatively quiet. But once we reached the half way point to refuel Dimitri got off to fulfill my sugar needs. Adrian approached me with some hesitation.

"Hello, Adrian." I didn't bother to look at him.

He smirked but I could tell he still felt uncomfortable. "Little dhampir."

I rocked on my heels. "Did you want something?" I regretted the words as soon as they left my lips. I knew there were plenty of things he wanted that I couldn't give. But he didn't act on those thoughts.

He sighed, "I just thought I should apologize. I really made an ass out of myself back there. That stuff I said... It wasn't right." He paused. "I wasn't right."

I nudged him, "It wasn't your fault." I thought about that, "Well, yea, it was your fault. You knew you should be wearing charms."

He laughed, "Come on, Rose! Can't a guy just apologize?"

I tried to hide my smile, "Okay, okay. I forgive you." There was a long silence. "So when are you going to say you're sorry to Dimitri?"

He winced, "I figured you'd do that part for me."

"No." Our voices were in unison.

"I didn't think you'd want to." He raked his fingers through his hair. "I guess I'll just have to man up about it. Someone ought to." I nudged him again but just a tad harder. It made him faulter. "Kidding."

Dimitri was just emerging from the store carrying more than I had sent him in for. I gave Adrian an encouraging shove towards him. "Go do it, big man."

He flashed me one of his very stunning smiles. It was nice to see that face. It had been sometime. I watched as they spoke alone. I couldn't make out what they were saying but Dimitri smiled. I knew Adrian either gave a good apology or cracked a witty joke. Then they shook hands, nodded their heads and started walking my way.

"So, you boys settled everything?" I wrapped my arm around Dimitri's waist and over Adrian's shoulder.

Adrian smirked, "Yea, he totally solved my problems."

I looked puzzled at him. I shot a questioning look at Dimitri who just shrugged. "What are you going on about?"

"Yea, no. Now I can live in peace knowing that I am an alright guy." He patted Dimitri's shoulder. "Thanks man."

I laughed, "Are you serious?" I looked at them both in astonishment. _This was their big talk?_ I unwrapped my arms and walked away.

"Wait, Roza." Dimitri grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me back to him. "He's just playing."

Adrian nudged my arm, "Why do you get so mad, little dhampir? You know I like to play."

I scuffed, "A little too much sometimes."

"In all seriousness, we cleared the air." Adrian smiled big. So big in fact that he exposed his fangs. I hadn't seen him do that before. It was strange but I was used to being surrounded by vampires. I was just a few genes short of being one myself.

I smiled back, not nearly as big. "Good. Now I can enjoy the rest of the ride home."

"N-no. Sorry. I said I was sorry for being an ass. I didn't say I'd shut up." He shrugged like it was no big deal.

Dimitri smiled like he found that last remark funny. I wanted to kick him in the shin and tell him how unfunny I found it. "Let's just get on the damn plane then..."

Adrian hopped up the steps and it reminded me how much a little kid he was still at heart. I followed behind with Dimitri trailing at my feet. It was a funny sight if you actually watched us board. It probably looked like three totally different personalities making their way into a plane to antagonize one another. Adrian being the torturer.

I sat down with Dimitri and looked over at Adrian. "So you're okay now?"

He nodded while he threw his feet over the arm of the seat, "Yes, ma'am." He waved over to the server and noticed my distasteful looks, "May I?"

I shook my head, "Do you need my consent?"

"Not really." He smirked, "I was just being considerate."

"Thank you but no." I turned away.

He sighed with great exaggeration, "Little dhampir, are you really going to ge mad at me for drinking?"

I shrugged, "Oh, no. Be my guest and plaster yourself."

"Roza." Dimitri chastened me like I was the one being childish.

I gave him a glare that I hoped said, "Don't start with me right now."

He shook his head, "You know how he is. Just let him enjoy himself." he snaked his arm around my waist, "Plus it might distract him enough to leave us alone for a while."

I smiled, "What did you have in mind?"

He pulled me to him and kissed me sweetly. It was soft yet seductive. "Mmm. I haven't quite worked that out yet."

Adrian groaned, "Ohhh! Please not in front of your guest."

I didn't spare him a glance, "You're an uninvited guest."

Dimitri smiled. I loved his natural smile. "You could always visit the pilot and ask him to show you the controls."

"Hmmm, nah. I don't like learning things when I'm on vacation." He took a drink and licked his lips. "Besides, I'd rather talk to me two favorite people."

I looked over my shoulder at him, "We are your two favorite people?" That was a strange thought.

"Of course not! I was talking about Jim and Jack." He took another drink.

"Who?"

He rose his glass, "Jim Bean." He pointed to a bottle on the counter, "And Jack Daniels."

I laughed, "Smart ass."

"Did Rose Hathaway just say that I was smart?" He made an attempt to look shocked.

I scuffed, "I said smart ass!"

He pouted, "You sure know how to shoot down an ego."

"Yours needs some deflation." I laughed.

"On the contrary, I think I could use a boost." He finished off the liquid and waved the empty glass at the reluctant server.

Dimitri laughed softly, "Maybe you should slow down. We're almost home and I don't think Lissa will appreciate seeing you drunk."

He waved off the comment, "I doubt she cares so much about my soberiety. Besides, she won't even notice I exist once she sees Rose."

I felt a ping of jealousy come across with that statement. "As true as that might be I think you should slow down."

He looked at his newly filled glass. "I have a propasition for the two of you."

"What?" Dimitri seemed too interested for my taste. It felt like a trap to me.

He took a sip from his glass, "This will be the last of my drinks today _if_ the two of you have a drink with me."

Dimitri looked at me like he was waiting on my approval. I gaped, "You cannot be serious. Are you really considering this?"

He shrugged, "Maybe. It wouldn't hurt. And it'd help him." He nodded towards Adrian.

I sighed, "Fine." I looked at Adrian. "But you have to keep your word. No more drinks for today."

He nodded eagerly, "Yes, little dhampir." He drew an X over his chest with his pointer, "Cross my heart."

I looked at the server uneasily, "Just one."

She nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

That was the first and only thing I had heard her say the entire flight. Adrian wasn't much to convers with. She poured Dimitri and myself a glass of Jack Daniels. I was hoping for a softer liquor but oh well. I took the glass and could smell the intense odor. I crinkled my nose.

"Best not to inhale. Just drink." He took another quick sip from his glass.

I stared at my glass for a few more seconds before finally taking a swig. It was strong and it warmed my chest long after I swallowed. Apparently Dimitri's had the same effect on him. I couldn't tell right away until he swept his hand over his chest. Neither of us were big on drinking. It disturbed the balancewe needed as Guardians. Adrian didn't have that holding him back or God knows what he would be doing.

Before I knew it my glass was empty and I was staring through the bottom at the distorted surroundings on the plane. Adrian caught me doing it.

"Enjoying yourself over there?"

I quickly lowered the glass, "No. Not really." I tried to seem uninterested.

He shrugged, "Whatever."

"You still have to keep your word."

He laughed out, "I know! I know!"

Dimitri was twirling the glass in his hand. He still had a little left which was kind of surprising. He saw me watching him and smiled, "Want the rest?"

I shook my head, "No, thank you." I pointed at the glass, "Taking your time?"

He nodded, "He said we had to have a glass with him. He didn't say we had to drink it quickly."

Smart. If only that had occured to me earlier. I had drank mine relatively quick and was currently feeling the effects. _Stupid._

Adrian looked out the window and called over to us. "Hey, we're almost home!" His smile was a drunken one.

"Great!" I rested my head on Dimitri's shoulder. "Now Lissa's going to get mad at me for drinking."

H_e _laughed and swept a strand of hair off my face, "I don't think she'll be mad at you." He looked up at Adrian. "That's who she'll yell at."

I smiled, "Poor guy. Dug his own grave."

Adrian was straightening his clothes and fixing his messy hair. "You guys should try cleaning up too. Lissa will be waiting for you."

I waved off the comment, "I'm fine. It's you that needs to worry."

"Really?" He rose a brow. "Maybe you should see your reflection. It looked like your hair got in a fight with a vaccum." He paused and smirked, "And the vaccum won."

I touched my hair and looked at Dimitri, "Does it really look bad?"

He shook his head, "Not_ that _bad. But a little messy."

I got up from my seat and ran into the bathroom. Adrian wasn't joking. It probably happened when we got off the plane at the helf way point. It had been pretty windy and I hadn't considered what it did to my hair. I quickly started running my fingers through the strands and pulling back pieced into a small braid.

When I stepped out Adrian gave a nod of approval. "Nice."

I gave him an accepting nod, "Thanks."

I took my seat by Dimitri. He ran his fingers through my hair. It sent tingles through me. "You did that pretty fast. And without a brush."

I smiled sweetly, "I'm already a pro at doing it free style."

He smiled seductively, "Really?"

I caught the double meaning, "You know what I mean." I felt myself blush.

A smile spread over his face. "I know."

Adrian cleared his throat loudly, "I'm sorry but could you please lay off while I'm around?"

I glared at him, "What?"

He scuffed, "I think I've been a pretty good sport about all this so could you please not do the flirty thing in front of me? Thanks." He turned away and looked out the window.

I was left with a little bit of sadness. I should have known that even though we had an understanding that it would still be hard on Adrian to see us together. He might not even be over me yet. But I was beginning to hope it would be sometime soon.

We were rushed by guardians and friends as we unboarded. Lissa waited with open arms along side with Christian, Eddie, Mia, Jill and, surprisingly, Hope.

Lissa wrapped her arms arounnd my neck, "Oh! I missed you!"

I tried to pry her off so I could breathe, "Choking... Can't... breathe."

She released, "Sorry. But you are no longer allowed to leave me here alone."

"What am I to you?" Christian sounded offended. Wounded even.

She kissed his cheek, "You are the love of my life." She gave him an assuring smile, "She is my best friend. I cannot talk to you about the same things I do with her."

He smiled, "Like what?"

"Like girl stuff." She shied away.

"What kind of girl stuff..."

I cut him off, "Oh for God's sake! She means talking about periods, babies, dresses, shopping, you!"

He stepped back, "Oh." His smile turned to wariness. "Well in that case..."

Dimitri gave me a strange look, "Babies?"

Shock ran through me. I had said it. But I was hoping he didn't refer it to us. "Yea. Lissa and Christian having little Dragomirs."

Christian hugged Lissa from behind, "Let's get started on that."

She gave him a swift elbow to the ribs. "Our friends just got back."

He pouted, "I hate having friends."

"Was it so much easier when you were an outcast?" My biting sarcasm was sure to get a reaction.

He smirked and it almost reminded me of Adrian. "Sometimes. I had more privacy and I had more time to myself."

Lissa's face showed she felt insulted, "Is that so?"

He forced a laugh, "Joking!" He pulled her back to him. "I was just joking."

Her expression softened. "Right." She looked back at me, "So what do you want to do on your first day back."

"Eat." My stomach growled loudly. "I am so starving."

Dimitri laughed softly and wrapped me in his arms. "You're always hungry."

"No I am not."

"Yea, you are." Lissa, Christian, and Eddie said it in perfect unison.

Mia giggled, "Wow. I am glad I came along to welcome you guys home."

Hope was hiding in the group with Jill. I tugged them both forward. "So. How are our new memebers doing?"

Jill smiled sweetly, "Great actually. Eddie has been teaching me some new manuvers on offense and defense."

"Mostly defense." Eddies corrected.

Jill shrugged, "Same difference."

Mia brightened in, "And I have been helping to train her to use her magic offensively."

"That's awesome." I looked between Mia and Eddie. "You two make a good pair."

Mia blushed and I could swear that Eddie was masking his want to smile. "Nah, we're just helping a friend."

I looked at Dimitri and he knew just as well as I did that that wasn't completely true. "Okay."

Hope jumped in trying to fill the awkwardness. "I've been officially relieved of my guards." Her smile was big but she managed to keep her fangs hidden.

"Look at you." I felt happy that they were finally accepting her in our world. "What will you do now?"

She shrugged, "I was hoping to stay here a little longer and then maybe venturing to Italy."

"Italy?"

She nodded very enthusiastically, "Yea. I've been wanting to go even before... before the incident."

I show the shadow fall across her face. "That sounds like a great plan." I put am arm over her shuolder, "But first, let's eat!"

Everyone joined in and we made our way to a small restraunt on the south side of Court. They had done a little remodelling since the last time I had been here. A little more modern if I was correct. Lissa probably had something to do with that.

We all took our seats. Luckily this place had almost everything because I was craving everything. I ended up ordering three different things. Dimitri eyed my plates.

"Are you sure you can finish all of that by yourself?"

Adrian laughed out, "If you're doubting her skills with food then you don't know Rose that well."

Dimitri gave him a cold stare. Lissa [played it off with a laugh, "Yea. Rose can eat all she can fit from her head to toes."

I gave her a smile that hopefully read how thankful I was for that. "You know me so well, Liss."

That made everyone laugh. It was a little uneasy but at least it killed the moment between Dimitri and Adrian. I quickly swallowed down most of the food on my first two plates and had just started on my third when I noticed Albert walk in.

"Hello, Alberta." I stood at her presence.

She signalled for me to take me seat, "No need to be so formal Guardian Hathaway."

"Technically that's Guardian Belikov now." Adrian took a sip of his water and lemon.

She nodded, "That is correct but I can't very well call her that with her husband present due to that fact the he is Guardian Belikov as well."

"Guardian Hathaway is fine." I waved off the mix up. "What's up?"

She smirked, "Well, what's up is that I am here to inform Queen Dragomir that she has a meeting in thirty minutes and your dressers are waiting in your room."

Lissa sighed heavily, "Must I be dressed by others? I have been doing it all by myself for the first eighteen years of my life."

Alberta shrugged, "But now you are queen."

"I guess so." Lissa shot me a glance that said "This is all your fault."

I felt for her but I knew what I did was right. The other candidates weren't nearly as qualified to know what was best for our world as Lissa did. Who would have ever thought that one day we would have been ruled by my best friend who was an eighteen year old spirit user?

Christian stood as Lissa did, "I guess we will catch up later... or at least once my schedule dies down."

"Maybe not even then. We might be busy doing _other_ royal business." Christian's smile was michievous. Lissa tried for an elbow but he knew it was coming and dodged it.

I stood up as well and hugged her, "Whenever you're free is fine. I'll be here. Around. Somewhere."

She nodded, "Just don't go too far."

"I won't." I looked over at Alberta. "See you later." I gave her a big smile.

I sat back down as Lissa and Christian made their way out the door with Alberta trailng behind them. Now it was me, Dimitri, Adrian, Eddie, Mia, and Hope. Hopefully if something went on between Dimitri and Adrian someone would be nice enough to step in like my ol' reliable buddy.

"So." Hope started off like she was filling the silent void. "How was the honeymoon?"

"Fun." I started.

Followed by Dimitri's, "It was great."

"Entertaining." Adrian almost said it with a sneer.

"Mmm hmm." She looked around like it was getting awkward again.

"Oh, Sydney came by." Jill perked up.

My mind when in swirls, "Sydney? How is she what was she even doing here?"

Jill propped herself on her elbows and leaned across like she liked being the center of my attention. I had forgotten how big of a role model I was to her, "Well she was esscorted in by other Alchemists and they talked with Hans and Alberta in a meeting with Li... Queen Dragomir. Christian was there too."

I smiled at her quick words, "Yea, but what for?"

She shrugged, "I don't really know. They were talking about you working with Sydney for a new issue. Something to do with a rebel spirit user. I think they called him Rodney Doru?"

"Robert?" This was insane.

"Yes! Robert Doru. They said he's been going crazy for some time but now he's causing harm to others around him." She said the last part in a whisper like she was scared someone might hear her.

My jaw would have detatched and hit the floor if possible, "And how... how did Sydney react to this information?"

She shook her head, "She didn't have much say in it. It sounded more like an order instead of a request."

"And why didn't Lissa think to tell me this?" My voice was getting loud but I couldn't help it. Dimitri placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

She sat back in her chair. "Because she was going to tell you it all in private." Her cheeks stained with red, "I wasn't suppose to tell anyone..."

I sighed and gently patted her, "Don't worry. It's just friends. I won't tell Lissa."

She brightened up but I could tell she was still embarrassed that she let that information slip. "Thanks, Rose."

I gave her a slight nudge, "No problem."

I started on my plate again. The rest of lunch was very uneventful. Adrian and Eddie cracked a few jokes while Mia, Jill and Hope chatted on and on about the up coming masquerade. It sounded fun but I was probably going to end up being one of the the people watching the doors rather than a party goer. Unless Lissa pulled some strings...

I had noticed Dimitri was being so quiet. I thought he might have been tired but I started seeing signs of frustration and uneasiness. I reached out and touched his hand. He jumped a little. I had actually caught him off guard. He just tried to play off a smile. I didn't buy it.

I pushed my plate away and stood up. "Well I am going to my room to take a nap." I patted my stomach. I was really full and in all honesty I wouldn't mind taking a nap. "I'll see you guys later?"

They all started with their agreeing remarks and suggestions on where to meet up later. I flagged them all down to one choice. Dinner at Lissa's and Christian's. We were going to get Christian to cook his oh-so-amazing meatloaf.

The walk back to our room was quiet. I jumped onto Dimitri's back. "Carry me!"

He laughed and grabbed a hold of my legs so I was riding him piggy back. "Anytime."

We made it to our room pretty quick but I couldn't help shake that feeling that something was bothering him. I lead us to the room.

"Babe?" I laid back on the bed and spread myself out.

"Hmm." He laid beside me and ran his hands through my hair.

"Is something bugging you?" I wanted to approach this as delicately as I could.

He looked me in the eye, "What would make you ask that?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. You seem a little distracted."

Instead of answering he pulled me to him and kissed me. I wanted to pull away and actually talk but as always I was lost in him. And he knew the kiss would get me off track. Although I knew he knew I gave in. Yes, I'm a sucker. Maybe it would distract the both of us.

The next hour was amazing. It felt like the world just disappeared and all the existed was the two of us. Our bodies matched up perfectly. He ran his fingers and lips from my lips to my knees. It was a pleasure having him smother me. I enjoyed every touch, every sigh, every moan. It just heightened the feeling that we could actually create these perfect moments. I loved making love to him.

I kissed his collarbone before I rested my head on his chest. He was breathing heavily. I traced my fingers over his abs. "So, um, what's bothering you?"

He sighed, "Why can't we just lay here?"

"Because I asked you before we even started this and you just ignored it." I propped my chin on my hands and looked up at his gorgeous face.

He looked back down at me, "I just don't think it's all that important."

"Well it's important if it's bothering you this much. Just talk to me." I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair, "Trust me."

"I don't want to upset you." He caressed my cheek.

"Upset me?" I was lost.

He looked away and cleared his throat, "It's just... when you mentioned babies... with Lissa and Christian. It's possible for them but."

"Not for us..." I finished his sentence as harsh as it seemed.

"Well yes." He stroked my cheek, "I feel like it bothers you. You talk with Lissa and the other girls about having babies but you know we can't have that."

I shook my head, "I don't feel hindered." I adjusted myself so that I was looking straight down at him. "I know that _that's_ not possible but there are other options for us to make a family." I leaned my head against his, "If it's bothering you you know you can talk to me about it."

He didn't answer right away but I could tell he was thinking of what to say. Finally he spoke. "Ever since you healed me I've been feeling... different."

I pulled away, "What do you mean by 'different'?"

He raked his fingers through his hair, "Well my body feels strange. Like it's still bleeding out."

I ran my hand over his chest, "Looks fine to me."

He grabbed my hand and placed it over the strange scar, "Here. It feels open."

I recalled the strange feeling I got from my wound that I healed. My hand reached fore my unnatural scar. "Almost numb."

He looked at me with some concern, "How'd you know that?"

"Mine feels like that too."

He reached for my side and ran his fingers along my scar. "Like it's numb."

"The magic?" I touched my chest. "Do you think it's doing something other than healing?"

He looked bewildered. "I can't really say."

I laid my head back on his chest. "Maybe I should consult with Sonia or Adrian."

He sighed and I could feel the air inhale and exhale from his chest. "I'm guessing you mean more of Adrian than you do Sonia."

"Well he does know more about it now than she does..." I felt a little bad telling him that I had to run to my ex for help. But I knew he understood.

He kissed the top of my head, "Do what you have to do."

"Thank you." I closed my eyes and started drifting off to sleep. "I love you, Dimitri."

His voice was just slightly higher than a whisper, "I love you, Roza."

Before I knew it I was off in dreamland. It was all darkness at first but then I heard a familiar voice and the magical world accumulated around me.

"Hello, little dhampir."

I turned and met Adrian's green gaze. "Adrian. What are you doing asleep?"

He smirked, "I have nothing else to do seeing as that I can't drink for the rest of the day."

"Wow, you are actually keeping your word." I was truly impressed. "Kudos."

He clasped his hands together and waved them like he had just won a metal, "Thank you! Thank you!" He dropped his hands and laughed. "Is it that surprising?"

"Kind of."

He placed his hands over his chest, "Ouch."

"Don't act so hurt."

He suddenly stopped smiling. "Rose. Is something wrong?"

I shook my head slowly, "No, why? Should there be?"

He shrugged, "You look funny."

"Excuse me?" I placed my hands on my hips.

I backed away, "I'm not being mean. Just honest." He gestured to my body, "Your aura is radiating from your center instead of around you."

I gasped, "Could it be the magic?"

He shrugged, "How should I know? It's not exactly a normal magic so maybe."

My hand touched my chest and then I cleared into the obvious, "Wait, I wanted to ask you something."

He sat in the green grass. "Shoot."

I sat beside him, "Ever since I healed myself and Dimitri the scars or wounds that were healed feel kind of numb."

"Wait, what?"

"They feel numb..."

He waved it off, "No not that. You said you healed yourself?" He looked around like he was the only one just finding this out. "When did this happen?"

"Not important. I just want to know if you can help me solve this problem."

He raked his fingers through his hair, "I'll try to help but you need to fill me in when you use your magic for shit like this."

"Shit like what? I healed a minor wound. That's all." I laid back in the grass. "It's not a big deal."

He laid back beside me, "Oh sure! All dhampirs heal their minor wounds everyday with magic." He paused and made an overly shocked expression, "Oh wait! They don't!"

"Ok. I get it!" I started tearing up a piece of grass. "I'll inform you on all magic used."

"Thank you." He smiled smugly. "So I should let you get back to sleep, huh?"

I laughed, "I am asleep remember?"

He grabbed my hand and kissed my fingers. It was strange, "As much as I like seeing you it still hurts." He let go and rested his hands on his chest.

Before I could say another word the world around us went black and Adrian disappeared along with it. I was alone in my sleep and I just stayed there hoping someone would wake me up for dinner.

By Shadow Kissed Mori


	21. Chapter 21

Luckily Dimitri has a natural alarm clock tuned into his brain. He woke me up so that we could get ready before dinner. Jill had asked Christian to cook for us and he reluctantly agreed. I think it was only because Lissa was forcing him to cook for me. But that was just my opinion.

I had decided on something simple and comfortable. Which left me wearing my faded blue jeans and a grey off-the-shoulder shirt. I left my hair down in it's natural shape and applied light makeup. I figured I should look nice. When I inspected myself in the mirror I realized how mature I looked. I had come a long way since St. Vlad's and now I was feeling the pride in what I had become.

Dimitri's frame shadowed the doorway. He was dressed in jeans and a black shirt. Not so dressy but my goodness he wore those clothes very, very well. He looked me over and smiled.

I posed, "See something you like?"

He walked up to me and wrapped an arm around my waist and snaked his other hand into my hair. "You're so beautiful." He pulled me to him and that kiss was certainly something that was filled with longing. It made me want to melt into him.

"Mmm." I encircled him in my arms and savored the taste and feel of him. Our eyes met and it was like nothing else existed. "This is nice. Being able to just have you here with me."

He tightened his grip on me. "It's bliss." He smiled and it was one of those rare and natural smiles that made my heart flutter. He looked me over again and sighed. "Are you ready for dinner?"

I patted my stomach as it started to growl at the mention of food. "Yes, sir." I looped my arm with his as he escorted me across the hall to Lissa and Christian's room.

The door opened before I could even knock. Lissa greeted us with a giant smile. "Food is ready!"

I was a little surprised at the fact that she knew we were at the door. "Whoa. How'd you know..."

"I saw your auras."

Dimitri and I exchanged looks. I gave her a questionable look, "But how did you distiguish our auras from anyone else's?"

She shrugged, "Easy. You two light up around one another." She paused and looked sheepishly at the ground, "Also your aura is... unusual."

I shook my head, "Please don't start sounding like Adrian."

"I can't help it. Your aura is radiating strangely and coming from your center." She walked backwards leading us inside. "I really don't know what to make of it."

"Huh." I took Dimitri's hand and led him into the living room. Jill, Mia and Eddie were already seated on the couch. "Hey guys."

Jill stood up and hugged us, "Hey! I can't get over how happy I am now that you both are back safe and sound." She sat back down wearing a shy expression.

"Thank you, Jill." I sat beside her and Dimitri took a seat on the recliner beside the couch. "We missed you all too."

Eddie laughed, "Well from what Adrian told us the honeymoon was pretty dull."

I was dumbstruck, "What _did_ Adrian tell you?" His name dripped with venom from my mouth. I cannot believe he went around saying the honeymoon was dull. He wasn't even suppose to be there.

"He just mentioned that you were hurt and that he had to go and help you guys." He started messing with his button on his shirt, "He also mentioned that all you two did was suck face and ignore him."

I shot up from my seat, "We did not!"

Everyone looked at me like I had was about to explode. Dimitri gently took my hand and pulled me back down to sit. He cleared his throat, "I guess that's what he would notice. Then again it was our honeymoon."

Mia laughed, "That's what I said!" She scuffed, "I mean of course you guys were going to be all over each other. That's what people do on their honeymoons." She stated it like it was so obvious.

Christian stuck his head out of the kitchen just then, "Come and get it!"

I was the first one up but everyone else followed as we entered the dining room. Lissa had gone all out. Candles lined the center of the table, the food was set on silver platters, fine china was set up at everyone's places, and the table clothe was as green as... Adrian's eyes. I paused for thought and looked around.

"Where's Adrian?"

Lissa looked back at me, "He said he might be running late."

I took my seat but stayed engaged in the conversation, "Did he say why?" I saw Dimitri shoot me a look.

She shrugged, "Probably nursing a hangover."

I knew that wasn't it because he hadn't drank anything. That's if he was actually keeping his word.

I nodded, "Of course."

"Why so curious?"

We all turned in our chairs. Adrian was leaning in the doorway with a smug smile on his lips. He strolled over to a chair beside Jill and sat down. Jill blushed at his presence. The young girl still had her crush.

I turned away from him, "Just asking. I was worried you might have fallen down a manhole or walked into incoming traffic."

He laughed out, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Rose."

"Not disappointed. No. Just," I paused to think about my next words, "just concerned."

He smiled, "Well in that case, thank you for your concern." He started serving himself, "But I am perfectly fine."

Everyone was looking around like they had just walked in on something they shouldn't have. Dimitri took my hand in his and gave me a slight squeeze.

"Are you okay?" He really did look worried.

I shook my head, "I'm okay. He just... sets me on edge."

He looked over at Adrian, "He tends to have that affect on people."

Once everyone's plates were filled we started in on conversing about things that went on here. Some thing's we missed weren't too exciting but some were monumental. Like the fact that Lissa was in the process of changing the law to have family in order to be queen or king.

"That's serious." I looked over at Jill, "What will you do once the law is passed?"

She shrunk down in her seat and I automatically regretted putting her on the spot. "I don't really know." Her voice was meek. "I was thinking of staying here a little longer and learning somethings and then maybe going back to St. Vlad's. I miss my friends at school and my parents." She paused to catch her breath. "I don't really get to see them anymore."

Lissa patted her shoulder, "I could ask them to join us for the masquerade that's coming up."

Jill gave her sister a sweet smile, "That would be amazing. Thank you."

It was nice to see them getting along so well. Not long ago Lissa was still feeling very uncomfortable with the fact that her father had a mistress. And she had just found out that our dear friend Jill was in fact her half sister. It turned both their worlds upside down and made for a very strange relationship between the two.

I was scarfing down the meatloaf when I noticed Christian had stood up. He cleared his throat and tapped his glass, "Um, I, uh, I mean we have something to announce."

Lissa stood up beside him and took his hand in her's. She looked like she was trying to be supportive but I could tell he was still nervous. I just couldn't understand why. She rubbed his shoulder with her other hand and encouraged him to go on.

"What's the big news?" I was getting restless.

Adrian stood up and looked Lissa over. She gave him a sly smile. "Please let Christian deliver the news."

Adrian's face was filled with awe. But then he looked at me too and gave me a strange look. I felt a little taken back. I had never seen him have that expression before. It was one of shock and confusion. Maybe just a little beyond being bewildered.

"It's not possible..." Adrian looked back at Lissa and studied her a little longer and then looked back at me again.

"What?" I looked around.

He shook his head, "I'm sorry but I have to be going." He started fumbling with his napkin and chair.

"Adrian." Lissa grabbed his arm. "We haven't even told you the news."

He gently stepped away, "I already know what you're going to say. Congrats." He bowed his head slightly and walked out. I stayed staring after him. _What the hell was that about?_

Christian cleared his throat, "Well anyways... we are going to have a baby."

Lissa's face brightened. She looked at me expecting my reaction to be great. I put on the best 'oh-my-God!' face I could manage.

I made my way around the table and hugged her, "That's great. Amazing." I felt the tears forming in my eyes dispite how hard I tried to fight them. "I'm so happy for you." I could hear my voice starting to crack.

She pulled away, "What's wrong?"

I shook my head, "Nothing, nothing! I'm just so happy for you both."

Christian was shaking hands with the guys and getting hugs. "We had to start rebuilding the Dragomir bloodline anyway. I figure at this rate we'll hit seven children pretty fast."

Lissa shot him a glare, "Seven?"

"Yea. We want to have a lot of kids to pass on the name." He smiled big.

She scuffed, "Not unless you'll be the one giving birth."

We all laughed out. But I still felt the discomfort. Adrian's eyes still lingered in my head. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his head. I don't think _anyone_ could figure out what goes on in Adrian Ivashkov's mind.

I stepped away from the group and managed to make it down stairs and out into the Court's empty grounds. The sky was still dark but even the stars were being blocked out by passing clouds. I ran my hands through my hair and sighed loudly. But just as I inhaled I caught the smell of cloves.

I turned and saw Adrian leaning against the wall smoking his cigarette. He sillouette was perfect in the lighting. It made me wonder why some other girl hadn't already tried stealing his heart.

I made my way over to him. "Hey." I leaned on the wall beside him.

He breathed out the smoke, "Hey." He adjusted himself so that his body was facing towards mine. "What are you doing out here?"

"I originally came out for some air but now that I see you something else comes to mind." I wore a soft expression trying to cox him into talking to me.

He turned completely towards me, "Whoa. That sounds kinky."

I scuffed, "Not what I meant."

He smiled, "I'm just playing with you."

"But I do have a question for you", I said sheepishly.

He dropped his cigarette and stomped it out, "Okay?"

"Why were you looking at me like that?"

He smiled, "Because you're beautiful, exotic, and in that lighting your eyes..."

"Adrian!"

He forced a laugh, "What?"

"Sarcasm not needed." I turned my body towards his so that I could face him head on, "I meant back in Lissa amd Christian's place. You gave me a strange look and I think I heard you say something wasn't possible."

He kicked at the dirt, "Yea, I forgot how observant you could be."

"That doesn't answer my question." I stepped towards him.

He shrugged, "Never said I'd answer it."

"Please." I tried my best not to sound like I was begging. But the sad fact was that I was begging. I wanted to know.

He looked at me warily, "I'm not sure if I'm right". He paused and took in a deep breath, "Or if you would even want to know." He pulled out his pack of cigarettes and put one to his lips. "It's kind of intense." He took in a deep drag and blew the smoke in the opposite direction.

"I just want to know if there's something going on with me." I could hear the pleading in my voice. I hoped that it didn't sound to obvious to him.

By the look on his face it did. "Your body is radiating a strange aura, similar to Lissa's."

That certainly mixed my emotions, "Lissa's aura is strange now too?"

He nodded, "And that could mean one of two things..." He gestured as if to let me finish his sentence.

"So either I am pregnant, which is impossible, or?" I gestured back at him to help me find the other possible reason.

He smirked, "Or it has something to do with your magic."

I shook my head, "How would it have anything in common with Spirit?"

He simply shrugged, "Still working out the kinks, little dhampir. But I see plenty of similarities which means it could be associated with our kind of magic."

I started fiddling with the ends of my hair. I thought about choice one. _Could I be pregnant?_ No, it was just not possible with our race together. Dhampirs don't have babies with dhampirs. I had to keep reminding myself of that. And it broke my heart every time I said it to myself or out loud. So I quickly shoved that idea aside and fixed my mind on the magic.

"So what you're saying is that mine and Lissa's magic is acting up right now."

He nodded, "Yea. I just call it like I see it."

"How did you not see it before?" My voice was starting to rise. I didn't notice it until then.

Adrian came over to my side, "Calm down, Rose. It's not a big deal. From time to time magic tends to fluxuate and it can be seen in the aura."

"But that would have to mean that Lissa's been using her magic a lot lately too."

He shrugged, "I guess. I have been with you guys. But I know she was training before I left."

I looked up at the building thinking about the darkness that could possibly be building up inside her. Why would she be putting herself in so much danger? Why the risk when she knows she pregnant?

"I need to get to Lissa. I have to talk to her." I started walking away when he grabbed my arm.

"I'll go with you." He had an intense look in his eyes.

His stare burned into me and I felt like this really meant something to him too. "Are you sure?"

He put on one of his gorgeous smiles, "You're my friend, Rose. I'll be right by you when you need me."

It was nice to hear. After all that we have been through it felt great that I could still count on him. As insane as it sounded, Adrian Ivashkov had become one of my best friends.

We made our way up to Lissa's room and found that everyone was sitting around the living room. Dimitri stood up at my enterance. His eyes flew to Adrian when he walked in behind me. I knew he was probably feeling a little uncertain and maybe just a little jealous. But I didn't have time to handle that.

"Liss, we have something to talk about."

She looked around, "What? What's going on?" Her voice was low and sounded nervous.

"Privately." I gestured to the room.

She nodded and started to stand when Christian stood with her. "I'm going too."

Adrian shook his head, "No, really. We need to talk to her alone."

"We? Since when do you have anything to do with Lissa and Rose's business?" He was upset about being left out. But I would be too if someone tried to do that with Dimitri.

But my godlike Russian stepped in. "Let them have their privacy. It's obviously important."

I gave him a smile, "Thank you, Dimitri."

He returned it but it wasn't nearly as full as his natural one. It almost felt forced. "Just don't get into trouble."

The three of us walked into her room. Lissa sat on the bed while Adrian and I stood beside her. She looked expectantly at us. "What's going on?"

I sighed, "Liss, have you been using your magic a lot lately?"

She looked down and started pinching the fabic on her bed, "Just a little. Just for training." Then she shot her glance to me, "But I have been using charms so nothing would get out of hand. I'm not messing up again." She touched her stomach. "I really can't afford to now."

My eyes rested on her stomach. She was still so skinny but inside I knew she had something that was lost to me. "I know. But has it been regularly or excessive?"

She shrugged, "Both I suppose. It just depends on what I'm doing. It takes too much to heal but not so much when I dream walk. I also learned how to move some objects." She seemed pretty proud about the last one. "It takes a lot out of me though."

I smiled at her, "That's amazing."

Her expression dropped to being something of worry, "But you didn't ask to speak in private just to discuss my progress. So tell me," she sighed and grabbed my hand, "what's on your mind?"

I sat beside her, "Adrian is better at explaining it than I am."

He relaxed his stance, "True." He leaned against the wall as he spoke. He always had that carefree aloof persona about him that made him seem so confident. "Well the last time I saw Rose in a dream her aura was radiating strangely from the center. Now today I saw you and your aura is doing the same thing." His brow rose. "So you see what we mean?"

She looked between the two of us, "So Rose is pregnant?"

I forced a laugh, "We were thinking more along the lines of our magic being similar."

"Oh!" I could tell she regretted that last statement. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head, "Anyway, we were just checking that if it had anything to do with the way we use our magic."

"You've been using yours too?"

Just then someone knocked on the door. We all looked from face to face.

Adrian strolled over and opened the door. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Christian let me in. Can I talk to you?"

Hope walked through the door. Lissa gave her a strange look. "Hello. What can I do for you?"

She looked sad, "I... I need you to let me go."

I stood up, "Why? What's wrong?"

"Because", Hope's eyes began to water, "They're coming."

By Shadow Kissed Mori


	22. Chapter 22

Lissa dispatched all the Guardians to check the wards around Court and all royal Guards stayed close to her for precautionary measures. Hope was scared. But she refused to tell anyone how she knew danger was on its way. She refused to even say what kind of danger it was we were to prepare for. But my gut feeling said it would end up as an all out war. And it was going to happen at the heart of our world.

Christian was stuck to Lissa's side as we made our way past crowds of people panicking from the recent searches and security checks. The Court grounds were litered with Moroi pushing and shoving to get to their vehicles and homes. Their Guardians wore stone faces as they tried their best to keep their charges from getting bumped or knocked over. There was hardly any ground to stand on due to the chaos being unleashed. But myself, Dimitri and a few other royal guards were able to make a thick enough path for Liss to pass safely and untouched. At one point some Moroi tried to cut through our group and was quickly blocked out by yours truly and back into the roaring crowd.

We entered the church in time to catch the priest lighting candles and praying. Lissa stepped out from our group but Christian was still at her side. Faithful and true.

"Father, I came to tell you..."

He interrupted her soft voice, "I know. There's trouble coming." He blew out the small flame on the tip of his wood lighting stick. "I will stay here for those who are looking for a place of comfort and safety." He said it so grandly that his voice echoed through the aisles.

She smiled, "Thank you, father." She took a few steps towards him. "Do you need anything? Guardians, food, water...?"

He shook his head and smiled at her, "No, your majesty. We have all we need in the house of God."

She bowed. "Then I shall take my leave." She turned on her heels and started walking out.

Just as we reached the doors he called out to her, "But, I do have something for you." He walked up to the small cabinets behind the altar and pulled out a red clothe that looked to be covering the real subject.

Lissa stuck out her hands to receive it. He unveiled it. It was a small token with a saint on it. The name was inscribed around the figure. _Saint Michael_. The figure was of a man holding a sword down on a demon beneath his feet. Lissa's eyes showed that she knew about this saint. She flipped the coin in her hand and on the back was inscribed, "Lord, give us the strength and courage to defeat all enemies; Embrace us with your invincible armor and keep us from harm's way."

He smiled and gently touched the top of her head, "For all of your safetly. May the archangel be with you."

She squeezed the coin, "Thank you." She bowed her head and with that last parting gift we left.

The walk to the council room was long. We had to push through crowds just to make it to the door. Lissa kept her composure and acknowledged those that called out to her for advise or help. It was all a jumble of words and pleads. It wasn't until then that I realized how much responsibility had be placed on her. In some way I wished that I could help ease the burden. But that link was long gone.

The long table set in the middle of the room was elaborately decorated and adorned with the different family symbols. At the head of the table sat a large chair with a dragon draping over it. Queen Dragomir's chair. She walked over elegantly and all else stood at her presence. She nodded and took her seat and everyone took that as the cue to sit as well.

"Let's get this discussion started." Her voice held great confidence and pride. She sounded like a queen. "First order at hand is how to assemble the Guardians and what place the Moroi will hold in battle."

Rufus Ivashkov stood up, "What do the Moroi have to do with battle, your majesty?"

She waved him down, "Calm yourself, Lord Ivashkov. We all know that there are some Moroi that would stay and fight rather than run away." She gave Christian an quick glance.

He sat down slowly, "So then we have a choice to do so."

She nodded, "Of course. I would not force anyone to fight if they chose not to."

"Well, good. Good."

"However," Her voice boomed back into the conversation with strong conviction, "Do not expect to be given credit, sir, for cowering. Heros are made in blood and spirit." I could see the smile forming at the tips of her mouth. "My Guardians will agree and so will my fiancee."

That last comment made me smile inside. I would have been cheering her on if not for the formalities. Then it dawned on me. _Fiancee?_ I looked down at her hand and sure enough there was a small golden ring. It was designed to look like two hands holding a crowned heart and a small diamond was embedded in the center of the heart. I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed it before. How long had she been wearing it?

I kept my post beside her and Christian. Dimitri stood just on the other side of us in all his godliness. The other Guardians were each at a door or posted near the other Moroi at the table. Each with pride and emitting an invisible shield of protection on the group. It was natural for full fledged Guardians to do so.

After some arguement and debate Lissa was the one that laid down the final decision. "The Moroi families will be moved to the church and the Guardians will be spread out along the wards of the grounds and near the outside of the church as well. The Moroi that do choose to fight will be paired off with Guardians for their own safety." She tapped the table, "I will let Guardian Hans handle the arrangements with my personal guards and Lord Ozera." She gestured to Christian.

Nathan stepped up this time, "Why should we let a child help with the arrangements for our saftey? Is that so wise, my Queen?"

Christian stood straight up, "Because I will be among the few Moroi willing to fight. I put our people before myself?" He stared down Adrian's father, "Does that sound like a good enough reason for you, Lord Ivashkov?"

He stared back at Christian with some intensity. "That is acceptable." He took his seat. I could tell his pride was a bit damaged but he played it off rather well considering he'd just been outmanned by a 'child'.

Lissa stood and gestured for the others to follow as well. "Do I have the council members' opinions on the matter?" They all looked from face to face to see if any one of them would object. But nobody had the guts to stand up to her. Nobody would challenge our young queen. "Then it is final." She bowed and the others bowed too. She glided out of the room like she was on a cloud.

As we walked through the Court grounds we found that almost everyone had either left or barricaded themselves in their homes. The streets that were just full were now deserted. We were able to surround Lissa and Christian easily. I walked beside her and cleared my throat.

"May I speak with you?"

She giggled, "As if you ever needed my permission. What's on your mind, Rose?"

I smiled, "When were you going to tell me that Christian proposed?"

She shrugged, "I didn't get the chance to. He just did it last night." She sighed dreamily. "It was very romantic."

Christian came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "And the moment was perfect if I do say so myself."

Serena had been overhearing our conversation and joined in, "How did he propose?"

Her face flushed pink and made it look like she was wearing blush. "He made me a candle lit dinner and when we were, um, retiring to the bedroom..."

"I asked her while we were lying in bed." Christian cut in so fast that I had to switch my attention immediately. Lissa gave him a soft elbow to the side for his interruption.

"We were _just_ laying down. He slipped the ring unto my finger and whispered into my ear." She leaned against him as she spoke.

He leaned his head on her shoulder and said in a barely audiable voice, "Marry me."

Her smile showed that she was excited and happy just hearing it again. "So now we just have to make it official."

He placed his hand over her stomach and caressed her gently. I felt a pang of jealousy as I pictured the happy couple with their bundle of joy. Boy or girl, didn't make a difference. They were going to have a baby.

Serena and Henna, another of Lissa's royal Guardians, squirmed and sighed in awe. "That's so sweet!", Henna gushed.

"Hey, Hathaway!" I looked up to see Eddie approaching us.

I smiled, "You mean Mrs. Belikov."

He stopped in front of me and shrugged, "Yea, that too. I have some news."

Battle face on. "What?"

"You guys might not like what I have to tell you." His face was grimace and sullen.

"Just spit it out."

He sighed hard, "It's Adrian. He's missing."

"What? How? You're his Guardian."

"And that's not the worst part..." He looked away like he was scared to continue.

I gave him a hard stare, "What's more worse?"

"He took a few things with him."

I gave him a strange look, "How do you know all this?"

His expression was sad and a little bit like he was having a hard time telling us. "Because I watched him pack and leave."

"And you didn't stop him?" Dimitri's voice was always intimidating.

Eddie flinched a little but he adjusted himself, "I don't know if I should say anything..."

Lissa touched his shoulder, "You know it's just us. We're all friends."

He displayed a small smile for her, "Just don't be mad at him."

She smiled back reassuringly, "I won't be mad." In the back of my mind I wasn't so sure I could keep that promise.

"He compelled me." His voice was low and dragged out. He really didn't want to tell on Adrian but when it came down to it Lissa was queen.

"He did what!" I couldn't control that outburst.

Eddie shook his head trying to shut me up, "Don't! Please. He just wanted to leave."

"Then he should have been smart enough to take his Guardian with him." I was starting to feel my temper rise.

He shrugged, "He said you all needed me more."

I scuffed, "Typical."

Just then Jill ran up to us accompanied by Hope. She clung onto my arm, "Rose! Rose..."

I held her up as she faultered, "Jill, what's going on?"

"There are people... Strigoi and humans alike trying to break into the southern wards! Mia and some Guardians are there defending it as best as they can but the humans are walking through. What do we do?" Her pleading eyes screamed at me for help.

I looked back at Lissa, "So much for the battle strategy. Liss?" I was ready to jump into action.

She kept her composure, "Rose, Dimitri, Serena, Eddie and Henna go help." She turned and grabbed Jill, "We need to get to the church."

She reached for Hope but the girl easily avoided her, "No. I want to help."

Lissa eyed her, "It's too dangerous."

Hope shook her head, "I can fight. I can be of some use."

Christian stood by her and gave Liss a small nod, "I will stay with her."

She looked unsure but just nodded, "Be safe."

Christian pulled her into his arms and planted a fierce kiss on her lips. She held him there and the moment seemed so sweet and personal it felt weird to watch.

He pulled away but kept her gaze, "I love you."

"I love you."

Lissa stuck out her hand to me, "Stay safe."

When I took her hand I felt her pass me an object. I opened my hand and found the St. Michael coin staring up at me. I closed my hand around it. "You too."

We ran off to the south side of Court. Christian and Hope stayed just behind us. Although she was a dhampir her speed wasn't matched to ours and it gave me some concern about her safety. But having Christian with her made me less unsettled.

Jill hadn't been joking. There were at least thirty to forty people lining the wards. They were coming out of the small area of trees. They had definitely planned this out. Mia was whipping water at the humans that were trying to pry the stakes and break the wards. A few other Moroi had made their way over and were blasting back Strigoi with bursts of wind and water. One earth user was making the ground roll like an angry sea sending both Strigoi and humans flying and falling. The ground even engulfed a few. Some Strigoi were even randomly combusting into fire.

I took out my stake and readied myself for anything. I looked over and noticed that Dimitri and the others had done the same. But nobody compared to my Russian. He was definitely taller than everyone else and his build stood out against the rest. He looked lean, sharp, and yet very graceful. It was breathtaking watching him.

I shifted my attention back to the wards and watched as Christian took a position with the Moroi and started wrapping some of the enemies in sheets of fire. Hope was just behind him in a fighting stance. She had an alright stance but I could already see an opening. And if I could see it so could a Strigoi. I ran to her side just as the wards dropped and the herd ran in.

A Strigoi pounced on Hope but I was there and ready. I brought down my stake with my full body weight and stabbed through it's back. It's actually pretty easy to hit the heart from behind. I was expecting there to be some sort of resistance. But my stake cut straight through like a hot knife through a stick of butter. It jerked and then went still. I yanked Hope out from beneath him and put her behind me. Dimitri had made his way over to us and now stood behind me leaving Hope between us.

Christian saw our troubles and doubled back towards us setting Strigoi and humans on fire as he made a path. Screams and howls could probably be heard throughout Court. By now most of the humans were retreating barely leaving with their lives. The Strigoi however seemed relentless. A few tried to push past us but more and more Guardians and Moroi had made their way to us and our numbers were getting stronger while the enemy's was dwindling.

Christian and a few other fire users made a wall of fire around us all so that the Strigoi had nowhere to run. It was like the wall moved with us as we manuvered around. At one point I realized we were getting too close to the buildings. By the look on Dimitri's face he noticed it too.

I ran up to the wall of fire, "Christian!" I kept running along the wall, "Christian!"

"Rose!" It was him. I finally pin pointed him.

"We need to move away from the buildings! There might still be people in there!" It was starting to get really hot. Sweat was soaking the back of my shirt and running down the side of my face.

"On it!" The wall started shifting, forcing everyone to back up. It was a little bit of a hard adjustment while fighting but we managed. By now our numbers put us three to one. For every Strigoi there were at least two Guardians with a Moroi using an element. That little change in our battle strategy might have been what was keeping us from casualties. Or so I thought.

My eyes went wide as I spotted Mia on the ground. I felt my body pull forward and my feet took me to her faster than I thought I could muster in this heat. She was alive. Her eyes were open but her breathing was labored and slowing.

"Mia." I took a hold of her hand. There was blood from her fingertips running down to her shoulder. "What happened? Where are you hurt?"

She smirked and her porcelin features seemed so fragile. "Just a bump on the head. Nothing serious." I touched her head and instantly felt the warm blood oozing from the back. "I just need to get my compossure."

I ripped the bottom of my shirt, folded it and pressed it to the wound. "You're okay. You're going to be okay. You're tough."

Her smile was crooked, "You know it." Just as she smiled I noticed the blood on her teeth. My stomach tightened and I felt a lump form in my throat.

I looked around. Everything was chaos. I felt the tingles forming in my chest and looked down at her. "Mia. I'm about to do something to you but I need your permission."

"Since when do you ask anyone permission for anything?" She smiled. Why was everyone saying that about me? Was I really that spontaneous?

I grinned, "Just don't freak out."

Confusion rubbed that smile right off her face, "What do you mean?" Her eyes rolled and I knew she was losing too much blood. She'd soon lose consciousness.

I closed my eyes and let the magic flow through me and into her. I could see all the bruised tissues and small cuts here and there but the wound on her head was very obvious. It was like a gaping mouth on the wrong side of her head. I sent the magic there and slowly felt as it started closing. I could feel her breathing relax and her heart beat steady. I opened my eyes and Mia was just staring at me in awe.

"Mia?" I sat her up. She had a blank stare. "Mia."

She blinked rapidly. "What... what did you do?" She stared at me in shock, "_How_ did you..."

"I'll explain it later. Right now we have other things to worry about." I pulled her up from the ground and jumped instantly back into battle mode. I ran into Dimitri as I made my way over to Hope.

He grabbed my hands and looked me over, "You're okay..."

"I'm fine." I looked around, "And Hope?"

He nodded, "She's fine. Serena and Eddie have her by the wall of fire on Christian's side." He gestured to my left and sure enough they were just a few feet away. Safe and sound.

"Rose!" I turned and watched as a Strigoi was jumping towards me. I stuck my hand straight out and forced a ball of magic out of the palm of my hand before even thinking about it. It shot straight through its body and dispersed into nothing in the air. The body fell with a thud at my feet.

I stared down at what I had just done. I felt a hand land on my shoulder, "Roza."

Dimitri was giving me a look of anxiety. I looked around. I was caught. Mia had been watching me since I healed her. She had seen the whole thing. I just chose to ignore it and get back into the fight. My body was starting to feel a little drained from magic use. I could only imagine how the fire users were starting to feel.

It was pure luck that we were down to the last five Strigoi. I went in for one that was nearby. I saw Dimitri trail me from the corner of my eye. But I still had the lead. I came in with a flying knee and it landed beautifully on the side of his jaw. I landed and spun around. Dimitri kicked his feet out from under him and the Strigoi went down hard. But they are pretty relentless. He was back on his feet in a moments notice. He swiped at me just catching his nails on my cheek. I'm sure I would be feeling it later but at the time it didn't phase me.

All of a sudden there was a huge bubble of water covering his head. He tried prying it off but his hands just went right through. He started shaking his head rapidly and rolling on the ground. It was starting to work... So I took my shot.

I stomped down on his body as he was rolling. His body lerched forward from the lack of air. I mounted him and stabbed my stake into his chest. Unfortunately I didn't hit the mark. He started thrashing and ended up bucking me off. _Stupid!_

I went tumbling on the ground and nearly went into the fire. Eddie caught my arm and yanked me back in to safety. I quickly caught my balance and went charging back in. I would have gotten him too if Dimitri hadn't stepped in and snapped the guy's neck. The Strigoi fell to the floor and Dimitri simply stabbed the heart. He made it look so easy.

Cheers filled the air as the last of the enemies hit the ground. Moroi were immediately sent to put the wards back up as the rest of us made our way to our homes, charges, and friends. Myself and the other fighters cleaned up the mess. We piled the bodies and the fire users that weren't completely tired out had a Strigoi/evil human bonfire. Christian seemed to enjoy that part just a little too much.

We found Lissa at the church talking to people and comforting them as they made their ways home. The priest was blessing people that crowded around him and as I looked around more I realized all the candles were lit. Had that many people really been in here?

As soon as Lissa saw us her face lit up. She immediately ran into Christian's arms. "Thank God you're all okay." She buried her face in his chest.

He forced out a small laugh, "We're fine. I don't know why you worry so much."

She sighed, "I just don't know what I'd do if..."

"Don't, Liss." He tilted her head up until she was looking him in the eye. "You're talking about the best of the awesome badasses here."

She nudged him. I knew she wanted to smile because I couldn't help but smile. I looked at Dimitri. He had been watching me too. I leaned against him and enjoyed that small contact.

Lissa looked at me with a smile in her eyes, "I'm just glad all of you came out of it unharmed."

Mia's bleeding head flashed through my mind. "Yea. Me too."

"There were a few close calls." Mia's small voice broke through the group.

I felt the jolt of panic. I didn't want her outing me on my magic. Or how I could use it. I'd become a science ginea pig for sure. I would have to keep my eye on her. "Nothing we couldn't handle."

Liss looked between us, "Like who? Do I need to heal anyone?"

Christian and my voice were in unison, "No."

I felt Dimitri's hand slightly squeeze my shoulder, "May I speak to you in private?"

I shrunk under his touch. "Okay. Liss?"

She nodded still smiling. Still clueless of the events that just happened. "Go ahead."

I followed him outside and into the garden beside the church. He stopped and turned so abruptly that I nearly ran into him. I came just inches from face planting into his chest. We stood there for a few moments in silence.

"What did you do?" He didn't beat around the bush at all.

I looked sheepishly away, "I don't know what you mean. I killed a few bad guys just like everyone else."

"You know that's not what I'm asking." He turned me to look him face to face. His dark eyes seemed to peer into me. It was like he already knew and just wanted confirmation.

I broke, "Fine. I kind of might have healed Mia while she was bleeding to death on the floor."

"Rose..."

"And she might have seen me shoot that one Strigoi with my magic."

He sighed heavily, "Aren't you just the most discrete magic using dhampir."

I rolled my eyes, "What? Was I just suppose to let her die?"

"We could have brought her to Lissa."

I scuffed, "And do you think she would have still been alive by then?"

He raked his fingers through his hair, "Will you be okay when others find out about this unique ability of yours?" He gently took both my shoulders in his hands, "I'm just worried for you. You don't know who people will react to this. It's dangerous."

I nodded, "I know. And I'm trying to be careful." I gave him a small smile trying to ease the tension. "I didn't mean to shoot that Strigoi but I couldn't just let Mia die. I couldn't give that benefit of a doubt that we would get her to Liss on time. I couldn't gamble on that." I looked away. I felt I was right. I knew I was.

He reached out to me and removed some stray strands of hair off my face. "I can agree with you on that."

My eyes went straight to his face, "Really?"

His smile slightly faded, "But..."

"But?" Great.

"You need to learn to control when you use it."

"I can."

He shook his head, "No, you can't. You said so yourself that you didn't mean to shoot that Strigoi with your magic. What would have happened is someone else that isn't our friend had seen that? What if you accidently missed and hit an ally?"

"I'm not that clumsy." I glared.

He scuffed, "But you are at times very hazard prone."

I sighed, "I'll work on it. Adrian had told me that my magic was acting funny."

"Adrian told you?"

"Before he disappeared he had told me that my aura was radiating from my center and in a weird way." I shrugged, "Hell if I know what that even means."

His brow rose, "And that's all he said?"

"Yea, and now I can't even get anymore info out of him because the little shit ran off!" I threw my hands up in exasperation.

He smirked, "I guess we'll just have to figure out a way to find him."

I scuffed, "I'm not hunting down someone who doesn't want to be found."

"Why not? You've done it before."

"And you actually want to go looking for Adrian?"

He shrugged, "Right now he's really the only one that can help my wife with her magic."

Shit. I hated admitting that Adrian was the only one that might actually know what's going on with my magic. Sonia was of little help lately because she was getting closer to her due date and her mood swings didn't mesh well with my short temper. I had to go find the dumbass. Figuing out where the hell he went was going to be hard. I was guessing it had something to do with a glass and a strong liquor.

"Okay. We'll get Lissa to dream walk to him tonight and see where he is."

He smiled and wrapped me in his arms, "Don't sound so mad about it. This will benefit you in the end."

I nuzzled into his chest. "I guess."

This had all come down to relying on someone that could barely help himself. Never in my life had I ever expected to be leaning all my hopes of Adrian. Adrian the womanizer, the smoker, the drinker, the smart ass. That last one was in my line of work as well but at least I had the awesomeness to back it up. For some reason I felt like his sarcasm was a mask to hide his weaknesses. And his vices just numbed whatever was going on in that head of his. But I knew through personal experience that he had the potential to be great. He just needs to find it. And he has all the resources to help me with my magic proves that he does indeed have great value. I just wish he could see it in himself. But for now we were stuck with the task of tracking him down and getting him to come back.

"Let's go get Lissa."

By Shadow Kissed Mori


	23. Chapter 23

"I'm still not going home yet."

Lissa scrowled at him, "Why are you being so selfish?"

Adrian smirked, "I'm being selfish?" He stood up from the silver bench. "I have been doing nothing but helping you and our friends and I don't have the right to indulge myself?"

"You do that every time you drink and smoke." I started swinging my feet. The bench was tall enough that my toes were just off the ground.

"Who invited you again?"

I smiled, "I don't need your permission for Lissa to bring me to talk you into going back."

"Well you both are doing a horrible job at convincing me to come home." He leaned on the thick trunk of a tree.

Lissa sighed, "At least tell us where you are."

"Why? So you can come and drag me back?" He scuffed. "No, thank you."

I stood up and walked up behind him, "Adrian, it's more than just getting you home." I sighed heavily. "I need your help. I cannot express that enough."

He looked me over, "So you want me to go back so I can help you with your magic?" He smirked, "And I'm selfish?"

She glared at him. "You are not anyone to be passing judgment on her."

"Aren't I? You really don't think so?" His smirk twisted into something of a semi frown. "I think that you both should leave me alone so I can do as I please and I'll be back in a few days."

I nudged him, "Are you at least somewhere safe?"

He smiled, "Are you asking just because you're worried about my well being or because you still need me?"

I shrugged, "A little of both, I guess."

He laughed softly, "I'm safe, little dhmapir."

"Please try and stay that way." I gave him a smile that I was hoping look friendly. I was still on edge. My magic was something to worry about for more reasons than just myself. He didn't see it that way but there was nothing I could do about it from where I was now.

Lissa hugged him, "We are going to be leaving now but if you need anything we will be here. Just call for us in dreams or on a phone."

He returned the hug, "Thanks. I might just take you up on that offer." He ran one hand through his hair. "I might need a ride back."

I gave him a puzzled look, "How'd you get where you are then?"

"I hitch hiked for about half an hour until some lady picked me up and brought me to..." He paused. "To where I am now."

_Almost had him_. "Alright then." I patted his shoulder. "See you soon."

He smiled, "See you soon."

The world faded like washed out colors and then went black. I woke up on the floor in Lissa's room. Dimitri sat beside me.

"So? Did he tell you where he was?"

I shook my head, "He said he'd be back in a few days. He just wants time to himself."

Dimitri frowned, "I guess some time to himself will be good."

"You think so?"

He smiled, "He has been helping everyone lately. The guy needs a break."

I nodded, "I guess you're right. He's been through a lot."

Lissa walked out of her bedroom, "Could he be anymore selfish?"

I stood up and walked beside her, "We were just talking about how he could really use that break."

"He could have at least asked." She crossed her arms over her chest.

I forced a laugh, "He's not a child."

"But he's a royal Moroi and he needs protection. And he didn't even bother to let any of us know he was even leaving." She sat down on the couch.

"You heard him, Liss. He's fine. He'll be back soon and everything will be okay." I sat on the arm of the couch and leaned on her shoulder. "We can handle things until he does. We've been out in the world by ourselves before. We made it out alive."

She gave me puppy dog eyes, "But I had you there to protect me."

I shrugged, "But I wasn't fully trained. Dimitri took me out like nothing."

"You were lacking in the blood department", he joked.

"Ah ha ha. Funny." I poked his rib and he pulled away quickly. He had this one ticklish spot on his lower ribs. I had found it one day when we were in bed.

Lissa giggled, "That's kind of true."

"Enough with the whole comparing thing. Adrian will be fine, guys. He can handle himself."

Christian waltzed into the room carrying two large bags, "I got the goods. Anyone wanna help?"

Dimitri grabbed a bag and helped unload it. "What'd you get?"

"Everything that Lissa's craving. And little bit of stuff for us to snack on." He pulled out a bag of sour cream and onion chips and passed it to me.

I hugged the bag, "Thank you!" I popped it open and started munching out.

He passed Dimitri a box of milk duds and kept a bag of Doritos all to himself. "I had to get something for us."

Lissa smiled, "And me?"

He opened the bag and looked in, "Well what do you want? I'm sure I bought one of everything in the store."

She laughed, "How about some Twizzlers?"

He smiled, "Yes, ma'am." He took out a large pack of cherry flavored Twizzlers and walked over to her. "I'll trade you."

"Trade me for what?"

He leaned over, "A kiss."

A smile spread over her face, "Deal." She kissed him and received her snack. "Thank you."

He threw himself into the recliner, "No, thank you." He started on his bag of chips. "So, how'd the meeting with Adrian go?"

Lissa's smile dropped, "Don't even want to talk about it."

"That good, huh?" He quickly stuffed some chips in his mouth.

I crumbled up my now empty bag. "I have to get going." I stood up, "I need a shower."

"Badly." Christian said with his mouth still full.

I made him a sour face, "I had forgotten how lame your jokes are. Thanks for the reminder."

He shrugged, "Anytime."

"Do you have to go just yet? I wanted to have girl talk." Liss's eyes were pleading but I knew where that girl talk would lead. And I wasn't up for talking about baby names or themes.

I forced a smile, "Sorry. I really want to just clean up and sleep."

"We can have a sleep over?" She pouted, "Please?"

I shook my head, "No begging! I would like to enjoy my bed after the eventful battle." I tossed my hair over my shoulder. "Even warriors like to cleanse after a fight. I'm still a girl."

She dropped her shoulders and sunk into the couch cushions, "Alright. I guess."

"We can hang out tomorrow."

She perked up a little. "That sounds great."

Dimitri walked over to me, "I guess we'll be going. Thanks for the snacks." He waved his box of milk duds. He had nearly finished the box by the sound of it.

"No prob." Christisan waved back. "See you guys tomorrow."

We walked out still exchanging goodbyes and goodnight wishes. We walked across the hall to our room. Dimitri had the key of course. I was sure I would either lose it or accidently forget it and lock it in our room. Adrian could always pick the lock for me but that'd be weird just asking him.

I made my way to the bedroom and I could hear Dimitri follow me. I turned to face him and dropped back on the bed, "I am so tired."

He laughed, "You sure look like you are." He stayed standing in front of me. "How does your face feel?"

I touched the three lines that marred my face. That Strigoi had gotten me pretty good after all but I didn't say that because it hurt. Oh no. I say that because I was pretty sure that it would stay as a scar. In my opinion I think the scars would make me look like a badass.

"Feels fine. Doesn't even bother me." I sat up straight.

He kneeled in front of me and ran his fingers over the marks softly. "They don't look bad. I think they might even match your personality."

"And how is that?"

He smiled, "They make you look like a badass."

I laughed out, "My thoughts exactly."

"Of course", he laughed.

I stretched my body. "I really do want to take a shower."

"Hmm." He looked off towards the bathroom. "You can go first."

"Thank you."

"Only if you can beat me to it." He bolted for the door.

I jumped up as quick as I could and barely snaked in before he could close the door. "No fair! You didn't even give me a fair warning!"

"Okay, how about this? We can share." A come hither smile spread over his face as he took a step towards me.

I rose a brow, "Sounds intriguing."

He wrapped me in his arms, "Is that a yes?"

I pressed against him, "Oh yea."

He pulled his shirt off and dropped his pants faster than I could even get my top off. He was wearing his white briefs. It kind of reminded me of those underwear models you see in magizines. He definitely had the body for it. I was wearing my matching orange lace bra and panties. I thought I looked good in them. And by the look on his face he thought so too.

He tangled his hands in my hair and tilted my head back so that my neck was exposed. He leaned down and gently ran his lips across my throat. It made my body fill with excitement. I felt the moan leave my lips. My back was against the glass shower door. He pulled my body even more against his and I heard the door slide open. I felt him unclip my bra and toss it. He slid his fingers under the sides on my panties and I just let them slide down and kicked them off. I ran my hands down and slowly removed his bottoms. I felt him smile beneath the kiss.

He turned the water on and it was a nice change of scenery. It was hypnotic how the water drops just shattered on his perfect body. He just let the water soak into his hair and drop any which way. The long messy hair style worked on him. He was just as gorgeous as ever. And the dim lights made his dark eyes shimmer. He lifted me up and ran his hands on my upper thigh. I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him to me. It was heaven.

I watched as the water ran over his body and flow between our touching skin. Then a spark caught my eye. The little strips of water running over Dimitri's scar on his chest were lighting up. I ran my fingers over it to see if maybe I was just seeing things.

"Dimitri." I gently lingered on a spark. "Look."

He looked down and his expression grew confused. "What is that? What are you doing?" A smile grew on his lips.

I shook my head slowly, "I'm not doing it."

His smile dropped a little, "Then... what is it?"

"I don't know."

He tilted his head and looked at my body. His eyes widened slightly. "Roza, yours is doing it too."

I lifted my arm and stared down at my scar. It was. Little sparks lit up as the water passed over it. "Is this my magic?"

He gently turned my face to his, "I can't feel it. Can you?"

I shook my head never taking my eyes off his, "No. I can't."

He smiled, "It's strangely beautiful."

"But what is it?" I was ran my hand over his scar. It did look beautiful. Almost like lines of tiny lightening bolts running over our skin. It flashed in luminescent blue and purple. But nothing more. There was no shock or feeling to it. I know I had never noticed it before.

"We'll ask Lissa what she sees when we see her tomorrow. Or you can always wait for Adrian to get back." He caressed my side and gently kissed my lips.

I smiled, "We can do both. But not til later."

He smiled back, "Not til later."

We returned to our own personal pleasure. It was always a great getaway to escape from the troubles in our lives. It didn't hurt that it was amazing too. Every touch was perfectly placed and every movement we made was insync. Like our bodies knew what the other's wanted and craved. He moved, I moved.

Dimitri passed me the first towel as we stepped out onto the cool porcelain tile. I patted myself dry and caught Dimitri staring.

"Can't help yourself?", I teased.

He chuckled, "It's hard to look away." He walked towards me.

I tiptoed and kissed his lips. "You're pretty easy on the eyes." I tucked some wet strands of hair behind his ear that were sticking to his cheek. His face was still so smooth. I ran my finger tips on his jaw line. "Almost ready for bed?"

His laughed rumbled through his chest, "Do you want to just go to bed like this?" He gestured to our naked towelled bodies.

I shrugged, "Doesn't seem like a bad idea."

Before I knew it I was in his arms being carried off to the bedroom. He tossed me on the bed and plopped down next to me. I rolled over on top of him and arched my back so that we had a few inches between us.

"Do you think you'll get any visits tonight?" He twisted a strand if my hair on his fingers.

"Not if Adrian was serious about taking some time off."

He laughed, "And what about Liss?"

"She hardly visits my dreams anymore. I mean, we are right across the hall." I rested my forehead against his. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious." He made a face that was so neutral that I could tell he was forcing it.

I arched a brow, "Are you getting jealous?"

He scuffed, "Why would I need to get jealous?"

"Could you try to avoid the question anymore than that?" I forced a laugh.

"No, I am not jealous." His face held a serious expression that was nearly unreadable. But I could tell he was a little upset about me calling him on his curiosity.

I raised my hands in defense, "Okay. Just asking."

He rolled over and hugged me, "Enough with this issue." He planted a kiss on my head. "Let's just get some sleep. I'm feeling exhausted."

I stretched out in his arms, "Me too. That was fun."

I felt him run his fingers on my side, "It was exhilarating." He sighed and burried his face in my hair. I could hear him inhale. "I love your scent."

My face burned crimson. I felt my cheeks get warm and I touched them to feel if they actually gave off heat. I nuzzled against him and breathed in his scent. He smelled like soap and a hint of sweat. "Mmm. I quite enjoy yours too."

His laugh rumbled through his chest and transfered into mine. "Good night, Roza."

"Good night."

I shut my eyes and slowly felt myself drift off. In just a matter of minutes I was in the complete darkness of sleep. I still felt like I was wrapped in Dimitri's embrace. Then a light started to spread into a scenery coming into view. I looked at my new surroundings and instantly knew.

"Adrian?"

He appeared from behind the cherry tree, "Hello, little dhampir. Happy to see me?"

I took in the beauty of the moon and the sun sitting in the multicolored sky. "A little. I missed this place too. It's so..."

"Perfect?" He smirked.

I laughed, "Peaceful."

He looked around at his creation and nodded, "Hmm. That too I suppose."

"So what are you doing here? Need a ride already?" I displayed a soft smile.

He shook his head, "Not yet. But I promised you I would always be here when you need me." He gestured to all of him. "So here I am. What's on your mind?"

I felt my sigh leave my mouth before I could alter it. "Well there is one little thing I am worrying about."

"Your aura?" He placed his hand on his chin like he was pondering a thought. "I have a few ideas."

"But there is something else." I sat down in the cool unchanging grass.

"Okay?" He took a seat beside me. "Shoot."

I looked at him and instantly noticed the green in his eyes. Almost perfectly matched with the green emeralds on my necklace. "My magic came out unsummoned."

He looked contimplative, "How?"

"That's what I want to know!" I punched his arm.

He rubbed his arm, "Ow... I meant what happened?"

"Oh." I felt a little dumb for that. "Well I shot a Strigoi with a power ball without even thinking. It just came naturally."

He smiled, "Had you just used it?"

I shrugged, "Yea, to heal Mia."

"You healed..." He shook his head and sighed heavily with frustration. "Okay, so you did use it just moments before shooting the Strigoi."

"Yes. Then I went off back into the fight and a Strigoi caught me by surprise, I turned and put my palm up towards him and the magic just shot out." I used my hands to show him how I did it.

"Then that was your fault." He walked around me. It looked like he was examining me.

I shot him a mean stare, "How was that my fault?"

"Because you already had the magic there. You probably didn't use all of it in Mia so what was left was shot out when you sensed you were in danger." He smiled. "Easy. It happens when someone doesn't properly shield their magic after use."

I scuffed, "You didn't teach me that!"

He shrugged, "Sorry. I guess it slipped my mind."

"Real nice." I rolled my eyes. "Now what about your ideas on the aura?"

"Well I was thinking..." His eyes went wide with what looked like panic. He looked around. "Rose, something's happening."

I grabbed his shoulder, "What? What's going on?"

He started fading along with the scenery, "I need you to come for me."

His voice was slipping and barely becoming audilble, "But where are you!"

"Scranton! Colosseum Night Club and Lounge!"

The last word was just above a whisper. Thank God for the advanced Dhampir hearing. I was literally shot out of my sleep. Dimitri sprang up beside me ready for battle.

He looked at me in surprise, "What's happening?"

"It's Adrian!" I jumped out of the bed and immediately started dressing. "He needs help!"

By Shadow Kissed Mori


	24. Chapter 24

With Dimitri behind the wheel the drive to Scranton was so fast I swear it would have been as long as a drive around Court. Well, not literally but it was still pretty fast. And when the building came into view I instantly knew what Adrian's problem was. He was being kicked out!

He was sitting outside on the sidewalk holding a bottle of Crown Royal in one hand and a cigarette in the other. I jumped out of the car and walked up to him in heavy steps. He looked up at me once he realized who I was.

"Oh hey! You guys got here fast." He tried to stand but I eventually helped to pull him up. He was a mess.

I looked him over, "What the hell, Adrian?"

He laughed, "What? What'd I do?"

I pulled the bottle out of his hand and waved to the car. "Just get in."

He looked at the car and waved at Dimitri, "Hey. Thanks for coming to get me."

Dimitri just lifted and dropped his hand in a smooth motion. "Adrian."

He jumped into the backseat. "So where to now?"

"Court." I buckled my seatbelt and leaned back into my seat.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Why so fast? There are things to do." He hung over the top of the seats.

"Yea, like go home." I kept my eyes on the road.

He tapped my shoulder, "Are you mad at me, little dhampir?"

I didn't bother to cast a glance. I gritted my teeth, "I'm just ready to go home."

He sighed, "You are mad at me."

"I just cannot believe you." I ran my hand through my hair.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

I shot him a glare, "I mean, you visit me in a dream saying that you want to help me and then suddenly something happens and you start calling out for help!" I threw my hands up, "That was pretty scary and intense! And we come to get you and what?"

"What?"

"Exactly!" I turned my body to looked him dead in the eye, "We come and find you sitting outside of a club with liquor in one hand and a cigarette in the other."

"I'm entitled to a smoke and a drink while I'm waiting." He smirked and it just made my blood boil.

"Come on, Adrian. It's time to grow up." I turned away from him and sat back in my seat.

He scuffed and leaned back into the backseat, "You're one to talk, little dhampir."

I sighed heavily, "One more utter of stupidity out of you and I will crawl back there and beat your head in with your own bottle."

"Rose." Dimtiri placed one hand on mine and gently squeezed. "Relax. He's not himself."

I shook my head, "Tell him that. Maybe he'll shut up."

"Doubtful." Adrian had that smug way of talking that just got under my skin. He knew how to push my buttons.

I turned and tried going over the seat but Dimitri pulled me back. "Rose!" I felt the car swerve and I instantly sat back down. "Stop it both of you! I am tired of your fighting and immaturity. I mean honestly! It's getting to a point where the next time you can go it alone, Adrian."

"Just me?"

"Rose is my wife so I will always look out for her but you are not my charge and you sure as hell are not my child."

Shock hit me in a wave. I wasn't sure if it was from the comment or the mood. Dimitri hadn't snapped or broken down like this in a long time and never in front of anyone.

"I am sorry." I touched his hand.

He turned his hand over and took mine in his. "I can't always give into you either though. We need a stable base to stand on, Roza."

"I know, I know." I looked down and felt the guilt well up in me. "I promise you that I will not engage in unnecessary arguments and drag you into messes."

He smiled and it made me ease up a little, "You will never escape trouble but just try not to get into too much."

That made me smile as well. "I proimse." I leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"And I promise to stop being a pain in the ass too." Adrian's words were a little slurred but understandable.

Dimitri nodded, "Thank you. Now let's just enjoy the ride home." He turned on the radio and surprisingly it was of the more modern persuasion.

I sank back into my seat and rested my chin on the strap of the seatbelt. The scenery wasn't amazing but it was a nice change compared to what I had been exposed to lately. And the sunlight was still shadowing the horizon so it made for a pretty decent view. The rest of the ride was quiet and a little relaxing.

Our entrance into Court was very discrete. Nobody had known that we had left for Adrian except for the Guardians at the gate. So we parked and started towards our rooms.

Adrian grabbed my arm, "Wait. I forgot to tell you something."

I gave him a strange look, "Okay, what's up?"

He nodded towards Dimitri, "I don't know if you want him to hear this just yet because I'm not 100% positive and I don't want to make this like ultra dramatic."

Dimitri shrugged, "I think I can handle it."

I nodded, "Go ahead." I took in a deep breath bracing myself for what he had to say. Adrian seemed like he was pretty worried about telling me too.

He sighed, "Alright well I think you might be pregnant."

I forced a laughed, "Ha! Right. Because I can get pregnant."

He shrugged, "It's not your magic and it's still similar to Lissa's aura."

"Wait, how do you know it's not my magic?"

"Because of our discussion on how you used it to heal Mia and shoot the Strigoi. See I thought it was due to a shortage on magic or even a low hum of it concentrated in your center but no." He looked around at me and smirked, "It's still the same after the use of your magic so the only other thing I can think of is that you ar pregnant like Liss."

I shook my head, "No. It's just not possible..."

"Just like how you having magic is possible, right?" He kept that same smirk on his face and it was starting to get to me.

I looked over at Dimitri. He was stone faced and silent, "Do you have anything to say about this?"

He didn't move for a few moments but then dropped his head and raked his fingers through his hair. "I, um, wow. I think we should get this tested before jumping to any conclusions." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked back up at me.

I nodded slowly, "Right, right." I looked back at Adrian. "We'll take a test and see where we go from there."

He shrugged, "Fine with me." He tucked his hands in his pockets and started walking off. He waved his hand over his head, "Good night to you both."

I looked at Dimitri, "What do you think about all of this?"

He shrugged, "I don't even know what to think. It's a crazy idea but then again if you told me a year ago that we would be married and you would have magic I would have thought that was a crazy idea too."

I laughed softly, "All true."

He took my hand in his, "But we have to do this quietly. We cannot have people asking why you're getting a pregnancy test. They all know Lissa's pregnant so you can't use her as an excuse."

"Okay so we get a test at the medical center with someone we can trust?"

He nodded, "Sounds about right."

"But who?" I felt my mind space out placing people apart that I knew worked in the center.

"I have someone in mind."

We made it to the medical center pretty fast and luckily Sonia was behind the front desk. She looked radiant and happy. I had never before seen someone working so hard with a smile on their face.

She looked up and brightened with a toothy smile, "Hey! What can I do for you two?"

I looked up at Dimitri and then back at her, "Well it's kind of complicated..."

She looked at me from head to toe, "Well isn't that strange?"

"What?"

She hummed, "Your aura is shining from your center. But that only happens when..." She stopped midsentence and her eyes shot up to my face. "Oh my. But that can't be right."

I nodded, "I know what you're thinking but please we need your discretion."

Dimitri leaned on the counter, "Please, Sonia. This is a big deal so we don't want anyone to know."

She nodded rapidly, "Oh God, I won't tell anyone. Do you know what they'd do if anyone found out!"

"I'd be experimented on." I rested my forehead on my arms over the counter.

"And more." She lowered her voice into a whisper. "So what did you need?"

"A test. We're not even positive if that's what it even is. It just looks that way but only a test can tell." Dimitri bent down to her level.

She gently caressed her bulbous stomach. "I will help but on one condition."

"Name it." I kneeled down beside her.

She smiled, "I want to do a sonogram as the test."

"A sonogram? To see the baby?" I looked back at Dimitri. "How is that even discrete?"

"It will be. I'll use my magic to make sure the people that see us think that they didn't and we're all in the clear." She sat back and her smile stayed glowing. It almost reminded me of the cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.

I nodded, "Deal. So when do we do this?"

She shrugged, "How about now?"

"Right now?"

"Come on." She stood up and started walking down the hall. She was already so big that she was leaning back and walking with her feet apart. She was due in a month now and it seemed like the time flew by so fast. I remember the day that we all first found out that her and Mikhail were expecting a baby.

She finally turned and entered a small room. There were crazy machine just sitting around there. There was one that reminded me of the dentist chair. She gestured to a table. "Lay down here and I'll get everything prepped."

I sat down and ran my hand over the white sheet. "I hate doctor's offices."

Dimitri laughed, "You spent plenty of time in them."

"Don't start." I tried to kick at him but he dodged it like nothing.

Sonia walked back up to us and patted Dimitri's shoulder, "Roll that table over here please." He soon came back over pushing a table with a medium screened computer and monitor. "Thank you." She started turning on all the machines. Then she took a small device that looked like a computer mouse to me and covered it with clear gel. "Lay back please and expose your stomach."

So I did. "What's that?"

"Never seen one?"

I jumped a little when the cool gel touched my skin. "Nope. Never had a reason to."

She was looking off towards the screen. "Well I basically just rub it on your lower stomach until I find the bag and baby." She kept running it beneath my belly button. "I cannot pinpoint anything but then again it might be too small." She turned around and grabbed another device that reminded me of the male reproductive form. She slid a condom over it. "Now I need you to lay back."

"Whoa! Wait! That has to go in me?" My eyes darted from her to Dimitri who seemed to be sharing my thoughts.

She nodded, "Well yes. The baby is too small to see from the stomach so we have to go in. It won't hurt the baby and it won't hurt you."

I sighed heavily, "I cannot believe we agreed to this." I took off my pants and as they say 'spread 'em'.

Sonia was right. It didn't hurt it was just uncomfortable and I felt violated. "Ah! Found it."

I looked at the screen. "Where?" All I could tell was that there were a lot of grey, black, and white shapes on the screen.

She pointed at something that resembled a bean with limbs. "There. I'd say you're about 5 weeks."

My mind went spinning. Not too long ago my heart was aching from seeing children everywhere and then more so when I found out that my best friend was expecting. I was still coming to terms that I could never have that gift. That I would never be a mother. But now, now all of a sudden my world was being shaken up. First the magic and now a baby? I could hide the magic but how I was I suppose to hide a baby bump little lone a baby?

I heard a click. My body jumped, "What was that?"

She laid me back, "It's nothing. I just took a picture." She removed the device from me, I wiped myself down, and sat up. She started pushing buttons and jotting things down. She stopped and sat back, "Yup, about 5 weeks."

"So there's a baby in there?" I looked down at my stomach in amazement. I ran my fingers over my stomach and imagined the life that sat beneath the surface. A baby. I looked back at Dimitri. His jaw was slack and his eyes wide. I reached out and grabbed his hand. He startled. "A baby."

He kind of shook his head to erase the fuzz I am sure was clotting his brain. I knew because I felt it too. Total disbelief and shock. Then he smiled down at me. "I can barely believe it." He kind of made a face that seemed like he might be getting upset. Then the next words made me want to punch him in the face, "And it's mine?"

I settled for a jab to the shoulder, "Ass! Of course it's yours! Who else do you think I've been with?"

He rubbed his arm, "I'm just still... out of it. I mean look," he gestured to the screen, "there's a real baby in there and dhampir's aren't suppose to be able to have babies together. Understand where this is coming from?"

I forced a laugh "Ha! So then I suppose you could explain me being a dhampir with magic then too?"

He raked his hands through his hair. It seemed like he wanted to tug at it. "I honestly cannot!"

Sonia gently eased him into a chair, "I think you both need some time to let this sink in."

We heard voices in the hall so I hopped off the table and stood beside Sonia. "We need to get out of here without being seen."

She nodded, "Just walk behind me. I'll distort your faces."

Dimitri put the machine back where he rolled it from and Sonia put all the other equipment back where it was. She just opened the door and walked out in a very casual manner. Dimitri and I stayed close behind her. She just smiled and nodded at two nurses that passed us. They didn't even spare a second glance at us. I almost felt like a ghost or her shadow.

We stepped out into the softly lit sky. "So that was fun." She took a seat on a nearby bench and sighed. "Who are you going to tell?"

I plopped down beside her and stared down at my hands, "I don't know... I still can't believe it."

"Well believe it, Ms. Rose." She stuck out a paper and handed it to me. "There's your proof."

I turned it over and saw the black and white fuzzy picture of my bean. "Oh my god." I ran my hand over the picture.

Dimitri placed his hands on my shoulders and pulled me to him. I could feel his heart thudding against my chest. His breathing was steady but there was an air of excitement and anxiety about us. He pulled away and placed his forehead against mine. "Come on, Roza. We obviously have a lot to talk about."

I nodded and slowly stood still stuck with baby thoughts floating in my head. "Okay." I grabbed Sonia's hand and gently squeezed, "Thank you so much. For everything."

She smiled, "Anything, anytime." She rubbed her stomach. "After all I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

I smiled, "And I wouldn't be here without your help either. I don't know if I ever really thanked you for that?"

She waved her hand, "I think you've done enough."

I felt Dimitri take my hand, "Come on."

We said our goodbyes and walked to our housing. Dimitri had me wrapped up in him before we even closed the door behind us. He lifted me off the ground. This was definitely the excitement.

"I can't believe this!" He gently placed me down on the bed and leaned over me. His face was so close. "This is amazing. It's insane!"

I pulled him down to me and we kissed. I felt the magic start welling up inside me but I ignored it. I shoved it back into a space and hoped it would stay there.

"We're going to have a baby." I placed his hand on my stomach. "Me and you are going to have our very own child."

He laughed and his natural smile was on full blast. It was perfect and beautiful. My heart fluttered. "I can only imagine the trouble our kid is going to be."

The comment made me laugh too, "Very true." I caressed his face. "I hope he or she gets your eyes."

He smiled, "My eyes? Why my eyes?"

I shrugged, "You have dark, gorgeous and very piercing eyes."

He ran his hand through my hair, "Well then may they be blessed with your hair."

I flipped a strand of my hair back against the bed, "I guess I do have some pretty awesome hair."

His laugh rumbled through into me. "That you do." He leaned down again and kissed me. He slowly lowered himself until his face was above my stomach. He lifted my shirt and kissed just below my belly button. His eyes ran over my abdomen. "Just thought of something."

"What?" I propped up on my elbows.

"We have to come up with names." He pulled himself up so that he was at eye level with me.

I dropped back down into the bed, "Never thought about that."

"Me neither. I didn't expect _this_ to ever happen." He stroked my stomach.

"Neither did I. How do we go about this subject?"

He rested his head on my chest and sighed, "Well we could decide on boy and girl names or we can cut the work in half."

"I get the girl and you get the boy?"

He laughed, "Girl names are easier to find."

"Yea but there are so many it's hard to decide on just one." I twisted a strand of his hair on the tip of my pinky.

"I can think of a few..."

I sighed, "Okay like?"

"Well like Sophie or Jenna."

I smiled and teased him, "Who are they?"

He lifted his head enough to look me in the eye, "Are you really asking a question like that?"

I laughed, "I am just playing with you!" I cleared my throat, "But those are pretty names."

"Thank you." He layed his head back down, "I thought so too when I dated them."

"Jerk!" I tried to push him off but he gripped onto me.

"Kidding!"

I settled back down but pinched his shoulder, "Not funny."

"Ow." He rubbed his shoulder, "So you can joke like that but I can't."

"Well you shouldn't."

He laughed, "Alright, I'm sorry."

I sighed, "I am too."

"And do you have any boy names in mind?" He started running his fingers up and down my ribs.

I shrugged, "Not really. Maybe Jace or what about Jr.?"

"Jr.?"

I laughed, "You know, like Dimitri Jr.?"

He laughed now, "I guess that's a good choice if you don't want him to have his own name."

"Hey I like your name and we could always call him D.B. or Junior. Ooh or even D.J."

He broke out in laughter which made me laugh a little. "Great solutions."

"Thank you."

We both nearly fell out of bed when someone suddenly knocked on the door.

Dimitri was up first, "I'll get it."

"Hey." It was a male voice. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure. Just let me tell Rose I'm stepping out."

The unknown male sighed, "Right. I'll be waiting in the hall."

"Alright, just a second." Dimitri popped his head back into the room, "Hey, Christian wants to talk to me about something. He seems serious so I'm just going to..."

I waved him off, "Go ahead. I'll be here when you get back."

He smiled, "To be continued?"

I gave him a thumbs up, "For sure."

"I love you." He disappeared into the livingroom and I heard the front door shut behind him.

"I love you too!" I sighed and sank back into my bed.

I slowly started to feel myself drift into sleep. I figured I might as well since Dimitri was gone and I was just going to be sitting here anyway. So I shut my eyes and let the darkness over take me. Unfortunately I was rarely blessed with a real sleep. Someone had to come on a dream visit.

I saw the world materialize around me. It was the Court's garden by the church. Alexandera stood tall now and it seemed like it was Spring time. I looked around, "Adrian! Where are you?" I took a few steps. "Adrian?"

Lissa stepped out from behind the statue, "Nope, just me." She had a big smile on her face.

"Well I sure wasn't expecting that." I hugged her. I gestured to our surroundings, "This is so beautiful and realistic."

She stepped back, "Oh so it's too pretty to be my work?" She pouted.

"Not what I meant!" I tried to laugh it off. "I meant that Adrian has been visiting me so often that I expected him and I was separately complimenting you on your work."

Her smile returned, "Oh. Well then compliment away."

I sat down on the marble bench, "So what's up, Liss? Is this a visit with a reason behind it?"

"Well kind of." She weaved and unweaved her fingers together, "I kind of need help with the baby names. I cannot seem to settle on one."

I scuffed, "Tell me about it."

She gave me a puzzled look, "Wait... why would you be thinking of baby names?"

I stiffened, "I um was just thinking... that maybe you might need help."

She shook her head, "You're lying to me, Rose. We're best friends. Practically sisters. And here you are lying to me... again." She turned her back to me, "I cannot believe this."

"Come on, Liss. I just... things are happening fast now and I am just trying to hold it together." I dropped my head into my hands. "You would not believe the day I've had."

She sat down beside me, "You know you can tell me. You can always trust me."

I sighed, "This is really big news. I mean huge."

"Wait then." She sat up straight and tossed all her hair back over her shoulders. She cleared her throat and nodded, "Okay, I'm ready."

That whole little thing she did made me relax a little. And I couldn't help but smile. "Alright. Just don't freak or tell anyone."

"I won't".

"Promise?"

She linked her pinky with mine, "I promise."

I sighed heavily and exhaled, "I am pregnant."

I saw her jaw drop just a little before she gathered herself, "Are you messing with me?"

I shook my head, "Nope. Me and Dimitri are going to have a baby."

She lowered her voice as if someone might overhear us, "And it's Dimitri's?"

I jumped up from my seat, "Yes! It's his! Why even ask that?"

"Who else asked?"

"Dimitri!"

She really dropped her jaw, "Oh wow. I'm sorry. Is everything okay?"

I sank back into the bench, "Everything is fine. But I don't get why you both ask."

"Well the way things work is dhampirs can't have babies with other dhampirs."

"Yea and another way it works is that dhampirs aren't suppose to have magic." I mocked her voice and tone.

She made a sour face, "I guess you're right." She smirked, "You're one weird dhampir."

I laughed and nudged her softly, "Thanks."

She leaned on me and hugged me over my shoulders. "I'm so excited for you!"

"I have a slight problem."

She released, "What's wrong? I'll do what I can to help."

I smiled, "How I am suppose to hide that I am preggers?"

Her smile dropped a little, "Oh. Oh wow." She started fiddling with the ends of her shirt. "I really cannot say. But maybe you won't have to hide it."

"But then when this baby is born they'll want to take the both of us away to experiment on us!" I had started to panic at this point.

She hushed me, "Rose! I am queen, remember?" She gave me a reasuring smile, "Do you really think I'd let them take you or the baby anywhere?"

I sighed, "I know. But it's still scary. How will people look at my kid? How will they treat them?"

She hugged me, "With all the love and respect that they earn and deserve." She smiled at me, "Just look how people see you now, how they see Christian."

I hugged her back, "How they see you too." I sighed and relief flooded my senses. "Thank you, Lissa. You've always been such a good friend."

She startled, "Oh, um. I really hate to leave you like this but someone is waking me up. So..."

I waved her off, "Go on. I'll be fine. Plus you're just across the hall if I need you."

"Always." She started to fade along with the rest of the dream world. I kind of wished I had more time to talk this whole thing out with her but I felt fine. I would be fine.

I woke up in my bed and stretched out. I pulled the pillows around me and curled up in the blanket. This whole day had been crazy. Scratch that, this whole year has been crazy! And approximately nine months from now it would get a little crazier. Can't wait to tell Grandma Janine and Grandpa Abe.

By Shadow Kissed Mori


	25. Chapter 25

"You're what?" Even though my dear parents had been separated for quite some time now they were still very intuned and unified.

"Who's the father?" Of course Abe would say something like that. I really think he had some crazy ideas about my love life.

I scuffed, "Dimitri. Who else?"

I heard my mother sigh, "Well honey, it looks strange because..."

"I know, it's not possible for dhampirs to have babies with other dhampirs... But it is now. I guess it has something to do with the whole broken bond between Liss and me." I twisted my hair on my fingers.

"Are you sure nothing happened between you and, let's say, Adrian?"

"Abe! Seriously!" I kicked the couch in anger because I couldn't kick him over the phone.

He forced a laugh, "I'm sorry but I just want to cover all the bases."

"I am married to Dimitri and I am not unfaithful. Thanks for the vote of confidence." I threw myself back into the couch. "And thanks for the congrats and the excitement. I mean you both are getting a grandchild. You'd think you would be stoked."

My ever loving mother quickly recovered, "Oh, I am happy for you, Rose! I am excited and confused and... oh my gosh! You're having a baby!"

I laughed picturing her jumping up and down. My mother was never the enthusiastic type when it came to the mushy stuff. "Thank you, mom."

Then came a heavy sigh from Abe, "I am happy for you too but we are not going to be the last people questioning this whole conception."

"I know." I dropped my hand and picked at the loose thread on the cushion. "But evetually people will just have to learn to accept it."

Then came something I wasn't expecting. My mother's sobs. "You have grown so much."

"Please don't tell me you're crying, Janine."

She smacked her lips, "Shut up, Ibrahim! I can be emotional. I am a woman."

"That you are."

I thumped my head with the phone. "Not in front of me guys. I'm still on the line here."

She cleared her throat, "So, um, have you thought of any baby names? The colors or theme you want to use? Who the godparents are going to be?"

"Mom! I just found out yesterday. Still spinning on that." I sighed, "But yes we have been thinking of names. Nothing serious yet."

"You should give your son his grandfather's name." He laughed.

"I don't think she wants to name her child Abe, Ibrahim, or Zmey." She had a point.

He scuffed at that, "Ibrahim is a good name and I am a very persuasive and powerful man."

She forced a laugh, "You mean a power hungry man!"

"Don't even go there, Janine. I didn't leave our daughter in a school so that I could get back to my fighting." He did a sinister laugh that made me picture an evil Dracula was on his end.

"I did what was best for both of us! Besides, I didn't see you in that picture either."

I tried to intervene, "Guys."

"Well I helped her when she came to me. And I kept by her side after all this crap went on."

She scuffed, "Ha! You did all of that 'help' so that you could get credit and because you just like being an evil mastermind!"

"Guys..."

"Great! So now I'm an evil mastermind. What wonderful things to tell our daugter." He sounded like he might be pacing.

"I don't have to tell her. I am positive that she already figured it out herself!"

"Guys! Stop! Please." I hadn't realized I had stood up from the couch. I felt my blood boiling and my pulse rising. "Stop getting so worked up."

"I'm sorry." Once again they were in unison.

"Dad, I do know you are a kind of evil mastermind but I think that's where I get my great and crazy ideas from."

He chuckled, "See? Thank you."

"And mom, I know I got my amazing fighting skills and instincts from you so really you both made me the person I am now."

She sighed, "I suppose." Her words sounded like they were being forced through gritted teeth.

"Now can we please get back to the whole baby thing. That's why I called to begin with, remember?"

"Right, so I was thinking pinks and purples if it's a girl."

I laughed, "You can do the arrangements for the super girly things, mom."

She sighed, "Well at least I know Lissa will be helping me there too."

"And how about red and grey as the boy colors?"

That made me laugh, "Sounds kind of dark."

"We are picking colors for a child not a teen boy, Abe."

He scuffed, "Those are boy colors regardless."

"I was thinking more of like a navy blue and grey."

He sighed, "That works too I guess."

Dimitri walked in. "Hey. What have you been up to?"

I pointed at the phone, "Telling the grandparents about our surprise."

He froze. "Janine and Abe?"

I nodded. "Yes. They are talking about baby colors."

"I am just going to leave now." He turned and tried to walk out.

I grabbed him and covered the mouth of the phone, "If I have to put up with this then so do you." I put the phone on speaker, "Dimitri's here!"

"Hello Guardian Belikov." My mother as formal as ever.

He crooked a smile, "Hello."

"Dimitri."

"Abe."

I heard a slight change in Abe's tone. "So how have you been handling the news?"

He shrugged, "I'm actually pretty excited about it." He wrapped an arm around me. "Who would ever have thought?"

"Not curious about anything?"

"Abe!"

Dimitri forced a small laugh, "I was a little at first but I trust your daughter. And besides, she is a little strange anyway."

My mother laughed nervously, "So Rose tells me you were thinking of names?"

He smiled, "Sort of. Nothing serious. Just throwing around suggestions."

"We have plenty of time. I'm only five weeks."

Abe cleared his throat, "I suggested my name for a boy but some people didn't think it was such a great idea."

Dimitri made a face and I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing. "We'll think about it."

"Don't encourage him." My mother and her blunt honesty.

I sighed, "Please don't start up again."

Dimitri slowly started releasing me, "Well I have some business to attend to so I will talk to you later."

I grabbed his hand and squeezed, "But you just got here."

"Guardians have so much more to do than just guard their charges all day. Especially at Court." My mother was oblivious to his tactics to escape this scene.

He smiled and shrugged, "So I will see you when I get back." He kissed my cheek and opened the door. "It was nice talking to you both."

"Take care, Belikov", Abe had to add that hint of menace to his tone. Who was he kidding. I was scarier than that.

Janine on the other hand kept her unusual casual tone, "Congradulations."

"Thanks!" And with that he was gone.

I sat back down and took the phone off speaker. I sighed heavily, "You just reminded me that I have to go find Liss. There's something going on that we need to discuss."

"Right now? We just started talking."

"I know but this is important."

Abe scuffed, "What's more important than my daughter having a baby?"

That made me smile, "Some rouge moroi is starting trouble and I might be assigned the mission."

My mother gasped, "In your condition." She lowered her voice, "Does Lissa know about your condition?"

"Yes, I already told her."

I heard another scuffed from Abe, "How did she react?"

I nodded as if they might see the confirmation, "The same way you did."

He laughed, "Well then I guess we'll leave you to your duties. Take care."

"But I wanted to keep talking about the baby!"

My head dropped back, "Next time, mom. I promise."

She sighed, "Okay. You just take care."

"I will. Talk to you later." I heard the lines click and I finally got to hang up.

I slowly lowered the phone and plopped down into the couch. I stretched out my limbs and ran my fingers over my stomach. It was still so har to believe but now I knew for certain that there was life growing in me. And I might be stepping into a situation soon that could put us both in danger. My body jumped as a sudden knock came from the door. I sighed heavily and reluctantly got up. "Who is it?"

Lissa's voice came through, "It's me! I need to talk to you." The door handle rattled a bit like she was trying to open the door.

"I'm coming", I opened the door and saw the look on her face and knew instantly that something wasn't right. I lead her in, "What's wrong?"

She shook her head slowly, "It's, uh, a mission of sorts. And, God I don't know how to tell you this."

"It's Robert, right?"

Her eyes shot up at me and cried out apologies, "Hans asked for your help in this. You've become one of the best. I tried to argue my point that I needed you here but he said I have plenty of other guards to watch me." She growled the last part. "I'm really starting to dislike that man."

I patted her shoulder, "Calm down Liss. It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal? Not that big of a deal? Really? Well then I'll send you and your unborn child into trouble and sit back in safety and not worry because it's not that big of a deal!" She threw her hands in the air.

I couldn't help but crack a smile. She was so dramatic. "Liss." I forced her to sit down. "I am going to be fine. _We_ are going to be just fine. I can handle myself."

She shook her head, "I'm asking to send Dimitri with you."

"Does he even know about this whole thing?"

"I do now." He walked in with a stone expression on his face. Whenever he was tense he seemed taller and, if even possible, more godlike. "When do we depart?"

I shook my head, "This is my mission. I can handle it."

"Don't be so proud and think you don't need anyone's help, Rose. You're not just defending your life now." He ran his hand across my cheek, "And I am not letting you go out there without me. I am not losing you."

"He's right. You need someone there to watch your back." Lissa was on the verge of tears. "I'll be worried here if you go and lose sleep and stress. Do you want to me to completely lose it?"

I smiled at her, "Fine. I'll do it for your sake." I looked up at Dimitri. He looked lost in thought but his presence was still very much felt. "Let's go talk to Hans."

When we walked into his office Hans was neck deep in paper work. He looked up at us like we were disrupting his concentration. "May I help you?"

"I think you're the guy to ask about this particular topic so yes. Yes, I do believe you can help me." I leaned against the desk and stared him down.

He slowly lowered his pen and brushed aside his pile of paper to clear a spot. He placed both his elbow down as a base and rested his chin on his knuckles. He sighed heavily, "Alright Guardian Hathaway. Make it quick. I have things to attend to."

I cleared my throat barely stopping myself from correcting him. "The mission I have just been assigned to. What's the job detail?"

He smirked, "Considering your skill and rather unorthedox strategy planning I decided that you should accompany just a few Guardians and Moroi to help subdue a rouge Moroi that is using his magic unlawfully and bringing harm to people." He rose from his seat. "Not to mention that he is exposing our world to the humans." He leaned towards me from across the desk. "Any questions?"

"By subdue do you mean by any means?" I inched away from him a little.

He nodded, "Well that will be his choice. If he comes quietly then of course we want to be subtle and bring him in to be tried. But if he resists and is a danger to any of you or others around you then by any means, of course."

I echoed his words, "Of course."

Dimitri stepped forward. His shadow loomed over us. "Sir, I ask permission to go on this mission as well."

Hans sighed, "We need you here to protect the grounds just in case another batch of Strigoi come trying to tear down Court."

Dimitri balled up his hands, "I ask that you reconsider. If I go I will be a greater help getting the rouge to come back quickly and everyone will be here to protect the grounds. We ave plenty of capable hands here. Moroi and Guardian alike here will work together to see to the safety of Queen Dragomir."

"You do think ahead of all of this quite well, Guardian Belikov." He stood up straight and weaved his fingers together. His faced looked concerned and worry lines played on his forehead. Finally he relaxed and nodded, "I will assign you as well." He turned and grabbed a folder off of a shelf. He examined it and then handed it to us. "Here is the assignment in detail. Picture of the rouge, place, where to meet, and what you might need. It will take a few days and the rest is up to how fast you work together."

I looked down at the folder and randomly opened it. It was a list of Guardians and Moroi. I jabbed the paper with my finger, "What's this?"

Hans sat back down in his seat and leaned back, "Those are the others that will be joining you on the mission." He waved us off, "You are dismissed. I have to get back to the joys of paperwork." He pulled the pile back in front of himself.

I looked back down at the list. There she was. Mia was coming with us. I guess that was for the best. It was about time we had our little talk about my magic and what happened the day of the battle at Court. "This is everyone aside from Dimitri not being on the list?"

Hans sighed heavily, "Are you still here?"

I scuffed, "I'm gone."

The air was still and I started noticing the different smells and sounds around Court. I inhaled deeply and took in my surroundings. Dimitri gently placed his hand on my shoulder.

He smiled at me, "How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

I nodded, "I'm great. Excited. Anxious. Relieved. There's just so much going on right now that I... I just feel overhwelmed."

"And that's a good thing?" He smirked.

I laughed out. "Yes! It's a new feeling. Like I know we still have so much ahead of us but at the same time I know everything's going to be alright."

He wrapped me in his arms, "And you know everything's going to be alright?"

I shrugged, "I am just trying to be optimistic. Can you please support that?"

"I guess I can." He placed the tips of my feet on his shoes and we walked in step. It felt like a dance. "So let's go up to our room and pack for the mission and tomorrow we have another big day ahead of us."

"Another big day is right." I sighed and rested my head on his chest, "Have you noticed lately how exciting our lives have been?"

He laughed, "Oh I've noticed."

I breathed him in, "And is that a good thing?"

He lean his chin on my head, "I think so." He stopped abruptly. "We're here."

I turned to see the door to our building. I sighed, "So we are."

"What's bothering you?" He turned me back towards him.

"Nothing." I kept my eyes on the ground.

He tilted my head back up to look at him. "This isn't nothing. You can tell me. Or would you rather tell Liss?"

I nudged him, "I don't know. Now I feel like I'm seeing the world from a whole new perspective. I mean I am a royal Guardian, married to the perfect guy, I have magic, and I'm pregnant. I never would have thought any of this would be part of my life."

"That's just life. It just happens. Planned or unplanned." He caressed my face.

I forced a laugh, "You and your wise words of wisdom."

"I'm just pointing out the obvious." He had his toothy grin. I felt a tug at my heart. I love his smile.

I nodded, "I didn't think it was that obvious."

He shrugged, "I guess that's because you never go for the obvious thing. You're surprising and spontaneous. You never do things the easy way."

"That's not completely true."

"Really?" He rose a brow. "Name one, just one situation that you did something the simple easy way."

"Just one?"

He nodded and rose one finger, "One."

I ran my fingers through my hair, "Well I cannot think of one right now. You just put me on the spot like that."

He smiled, "I don't mean to."

"Yes you do."

He pulled me to him, "Maybe just a little."

"Uh-huh." I tiptoed and kissed his lips. "So have you thought up anymore names since you abandoned me to the wolves eariler?"

He made a face that reminded me of a child getting in trouble. "Not too much. And I didn't know you considered your parents wolves."

"Then you don't know them very well." We started walking into the building.

"They seem, " he paused, "very protective."

I rolled my eyes, "That's an understatement." Of all the things I knew about my parents it was that they were survivalists. My mother was a survivor by means of fighting and protecting the people around her. She's all heart, blood, sweat, and tears. And she works for it. My father was a survivalist of a whole different means. He lied, cheated, stole, and made bribes to keep in the circle of being the man in control. As long as he had the power nobody dared to touch him. Zmey suited him well.

We almost made it into our room when Christian came tumbling out of his and Lissa's. He thumped his head on the wall as he rolled out. Dimitri and I ran to his side faster than I could think it.

"Damn it..." he groaned as we got him to his feet.

Dimitri took a fighting stance and I took in the surroundings. "What's going on?"

He waved us off, "It's nothing. Mia and I are training and she got me..."

"Mia's here?"

She stepped out in a white shirt and blue jeans. "Hey guys." She was breathing heavily. "Want to join the game?"

I laughed, "Game? What are you doing in there?"

Lissa poked her head out, "We are practicing our magic." She looked extremely happy.

"You too?" I gave Christian a concerned stare.

She shook her head. "Not anymore. Just a little."

I nodded, "Good. I wouldn't want you to stress yourself in your condition."

Mia laughed, "She has the strongest magic against us. It wasn't fair that we couldn't do real damage back."

Christian rubbed his head, "Didn't stop you from testing it on me."

"Well you don't need to be babied."

Liss frowned, "You think I need to be babied?"

Mia shook her head rapidly, "Not what I meant at all. It's just that you're in a fragile state."

I laughed, "Liss, you know you're in no condition to be thrown out of doors."

Christian scuffed, "Funny."

Mia looked me over, "Want to join us?"

Liss looked at me in worry, "What are you talking about? She can't. She doesn't have magic."

"Please don't play dumb with me. I know something's going on with her." She walked over and took a seat on a chair.

"What are you talking about?" Liss was still trying to play it off.

"She knows." I sighed heavily. "She saw me use it. I used it on her."

Liss' jaw dropped, "Rose, you know that's dangerous."

Mia smirked, "So you do have magic. You can heal people like a Spirit user."

I nodded, "That's not all."

"Yea, I saw you shoot that Strigoi too with some kind of spirit energy."

"It might not even be Spirit. It has different qualitites." Christian stood beside Liss.

She shrugged, "Then what is it?"

"Magic." Adrian was standing by the door. His eyes were piercing into me. "So did you confirm my suspicions?"

Dimitri stepped up to him, "We did. And you were right."

He smirked, "I figured as much. Congratulations."

They shook hands. I could tell it was a firm one from the looks on their faces. Dimitri nodded, "Thank you."

Mia looked between both men, "Wait, what?"

Adrian returned his glance to me, "It's magic. Simple as that. In it's purest form."

"What makes you say that?" I couldn't look away from his stare. It was weird but it was like he was trying to signal something to me.

That smooth grin spread over his face again. "It can take any form you want. Physical, spiritual, emotional, and let's not forget the little qualities it gave you, little dhampir."

"Qualities? Like?" Mia was certainly very curious today.

He started saying something but I quickly intervened, "Don't. I'd rather not share that bit of information just yet."

She shrugged, "Whenever you're ready to share."

"Thank you."

"What I really want to know is what you did to me the day of the battle. Any takers?" She looked around the room waiting for someone to explain what the hell had happened.

I stepped up, "I healed you."

"Yes, I know that." She touched the back of her head. I can remember some of it but how? It was almost like you were inside me."

"That sounds kinky." Adrian laughed.

I shot him a glare. "In some sense of the word I was." I looked back at Dimitri. "I've healed him and myself before so I knew I could do it."

"Wow, so that makes me number three, huh?" She looked bewildered.

"I suppose so."

She nodded, "Pretty insane."

I forced out a laugh, "You're telling me."

"What does it feel like?"

I shrugged, "I don't really know how to describe it all too well in words."

"It's like a cool stream of water flowing through you. Then she makes contact with the person she wants to heal and sends the magic flowing through them. I think she concentrates it on the major wounds and keeps letting it flow in that area until the tissues and blood start working faster to heal the body. Once it's done she pulls back the magic and settles it inside herself for another time." Adrian took in a deep breath and smiled at me. "Sound about right?"

I nodded slowly, "How would you know that?"

"Because I watch you during the practices in the dreams. I can see it." He smirked. Then he spoke again without moving his mouth, "I can feel it."

My eyes went wide. "Did you just...?"

Everyone's glances were shooting between us. Liss spoke up, "What's going on?"

He shrugged, "I've been doing quite a bit of practing with my magic as well. I found out something quite interesting. I think you might like it Liss. It doesn't take much."

She looked intrigued. "That depends on what it is."

"Telepathy." The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them.

He nodded, "Clever, little dhampir."

Liss' eyes went wide. "You know how to use telepathy?"

"I did a little bit of reading and studied on it. I had to keep myself busy since I haven't been doing too much drinking." He tucked his hands into his pockets and leaned against the wall.

Christian laughed out, "You read and studied?"

Adrian made him a face, "Surprising, I know." He had definite sarcasm in his tone.

"Whoa, this is alot of information to take in one setting." Mia stood up from her seat.

"Imagine stuff like this happening everyday." I leaned against the wall beside Adrian. I hadn't realized I had just stuck myself between Dimitri and him.

She nodded, "You must lead an exciting life."

I shrugged, "It's never boring."

"So how about that game?" She smiled kind of big but managed to keep her fangs concealed.

"I don't want to hurt anyone." I looked down at my hands.

She laughed out like what I said was funny. When she saw my face she stopped, "Oh, you're serious."

"I haven't exactly gotten it under control quite yet." I ran my fingers over my left palm.

Adrian scuffed, "I think you've got quite some control over it considering."

I nodded, "Yea, I guess I do. Considering. But that doesn't mean it's safe to practice on my friends."

"Why not? You tried it on me." He grinned.

Dimitri gave me a puzzled look, "What? When?"

I shook my head, "It was one of his dream visits. Him and Sonia were there and I might have kind of shot him with one of those energy balls."

"You shot him?" He actually seemed very surprised.

Adrian nodded, "She shot me. Right here." He rubbed his shoulder. "And it hurt like hell."

I made him a face, "Sonia healed you didn't she. And I said I was sorry."

Dimitri shook his head, "So you shot him. Just out of curiosity, why?"

"Well I was trying to let it flow and focus it and I lost my temper. Adrian just so happened to be standing in the wrong spot." I began weaving and unweaving my fingers.

Adrian threw up his hands, "Oh! So it's my fault you shot me. Silly me. This whole time I thought it was because you lost your temper."

"I didn't say it was your fault but it was an accident." I inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to calm myself. "I thought we already discussed this and had put it aside."

He nodded, "We did."

"Then why are you bringing it up?"

He shrugged, "I didn't. I just said that you had practiced your magic on me. You went on to say what exactly happened."

"I..." I looked around for some help.

Dimitri dropped his eyes to the ground, "You kind of did, Rose."

"Well, you asked me what happened." I leaned back against his arm.

"I did. But I didn't know it was going to start a dispute." I felt him brush his fingers on the back of my arm. Just that simple act let me know he was honestly sorry for starting all this.

Mia laughed, "Well now that we got all that out in the open lets get this started."

"I'm serious. I don't want to hurt anyone." I tucked back my hair.

She shrugged, "Then let's take this outside to the training field. Open space to manuver and you won't have to hit anyone. We could use targets."

Christian grinned, "Sounds like a plan."

"Really? Out in the open? Where everyone can see me using magic? Smart." I crossed my arms over my chest.

Liss cleared her throat, "I could always distort your face or make you look like someone else."

"Don't forget I can be of some help in that department as well." His smug smile still played across his face. Once again I caught myself noticing how green his eyes looked. I shook it off.

Christian clasped his hands together, "Sounds like a plan! Let's get this going. I'd like to see what Rose can do too."

It actually did sound like a pretty decent plan. I nodded in approval. "Alright. Let's put it to the test. I'll need some practice before our big day tomorrow."

By Shadow Kissed Mori


	26. Chapter 26

The training fields were just as large as I remembered them. The grounds stretched up to track and back to the side of the wards and wall. Christian, Mia, and I began stretching out. Lissa and Adrian stood close by me to keep the disguise over me. If anyone stopped to ask who I was I was to say that I am Mia's cousin visiting Court for a while. Dimitri took a seat on a bench and watched patiently. The lights made streaks dance arcoss the darkness of his eyes and I could make out the brown colors. In some way I wished that he could join us.

"Ready?" Mia took a stance beside me and nodded across from us. "First to destroy the five targets fastest wins the round. It's a three out of five game."

I nodded, "Sounds easy enough."

Christian chuckled, "Doesn't it?"

Then the targets started to drift back and forth. "What's doing that?"

Adrian cleared his throat, "We thought it would make things interesting."

"Makes things more of a challenge", I smirked. "Who goes first?"

Christian stepped in front of us, "I'll take this one." He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and stood feet apart and hands up. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes for just a second. When his eyes shot open the targets started to burst one by one in a matter of seconds. He sighed in relief and nodded at the now destroyed targets. "Got it. What was my time?"

Dimitri called out, "5.3 seconds." He had a smile on his face like this whole thing was just so entertaining.

Christian replaced the burned targts with new ones and gingerly walked back over to us.

"That was actually very impressive." I patted his shoulder as he passed by me.

He patted me back, "Thank you. Who's next?"

"I..."

Mia cut me off, "We'll save Rose's surprise magic for last. I'm next." She took her place where Christian was standing and inhaled and exhaled slowly. I could hear her breathing in a slow steady pace. Like it was my own breath. Then I realized it was because she was pulling in all the moisture from around us. I heard her take in one last long inhale and then it was like a rush of cool air as a long whip of water sliced through the five targets and then shattered into droplets. It reminded me of the shape of a bullwhip but with a razor's edge. And it was so fast even for my enhanced dhampir senses that I was a bit taken back by the speed of it. She exhaled and grinned. "Time, please."

"4.8 seconds." He chuckled after he said it. "That was cutting it close."

Adrian laughed, "Impressive."

Mia brushed off her shoulder, "I know." She happily skipped over beside me. "You're up."

"Let's see what you can do, little dhampir." Adrian was watching me with some interest. I couldn't help but stare back. He was doing it again. I felt the string of spirit attach and then I heard him, "Don't ball it up. Just spread it throughout your hand. Like an extension of your fingers. Feel it reach out and strike the targets. Like a beam or rays."

I smiled at him and nodded. I turned back to the targets and took my place. "I hope you're watching that timer, Dimitri. This is going to be over quickly."

I heard the others chuckle and giggle behind me. But they had no idea what was about to unfold. Honestly I had no real idea about what was going to happen. I think the only other person that might have understood it better might have been Adrian. I sighed trying to release any tension in my shoulders. I felt the tingles build up inside me and instantly started making it flow. After it accumulated enough I pushed it into my hand. I let it spread into my palm like syrup and slowly let it seep into my fingers. It felt like my whole hand was filled with power. It was invigorating.

"Hope you're all ready." I took in my targets and spread out my fingers so that each finger pointed at a target. I exhaled and pushed as hard as I could. I saw beams of light burst out of the tips of my fingers and shatter all the targets but one. The last one on the left remained intact but it had a giant chunk missing of the top. I figured it counted. I took a breath and settled my magic. It was a fullfilling feeling. "Time, Dimitri?"

He laughed out and clasped his hands, "2.1 seconds."

I turned on my heel to look at everyone. If their jaws weren't hanging then their eyes were nearly popping out of their heads. "Amazed?"

Mia clapped her hands over her mouth and giggled, "Oh my gosh! That was unbelievable!" She grabbed my hands and examined them. I looked down too to see if there was any damage. But they looked the same. No mark or sign that anything had happened. "Insane."

Christian began clapping his hands. "Bravo. That was _very_ impressive."

"Thank you." I bowed my head. Then it hit me. The world tilted and swerved every which way and I dropped down to a knee. I felt someone grab my arm just before my body completely folded under.

"I got you." Adrian was the only thing holding me up. He threw my arm around his neck and led me to my feet. "Just breath, Rose."

Dimitri appeared by his side and put my other arm around him. "Should I carry her to sit?"

Adrian shook his head, "No. She needs to learn to steady the after effects. She can do it." He nodded at me.

"I'm fine. I just need to get my legs back." I laughed it off.

They slowly began to release me. I forced myself to try to stand but my legs still felt like jelly. I tightened my grip on both men. Adrian gently cradled his hand on my back and I began to feel hot and cold waves come into my body. I shot him a glance but all he did was smirk. No messages this time. I felt my legs gain strength little by little until I released the guys to stand on my own. Dimitri was still watching me with caution and worry. I could tell when he was nervous about something. He always got that glint in his eyes.

I took a few steps and stopped. I sighed heavily. "Well that was fun. Who's up for round two?"

Liss scolded at me, "No! No more rounds. Rose showed everyone what she could do and she won. Game over."

"I'm fine, Liss. It was just a little fatigue." I gave her a reassuring smile.

She shook her head, "You are in no condition to be waring yourself out."

"Liss!" I hissed her name.

Mia shot her a curious glance, "What do you mean by that?"

"It's all too new. She's not used to it." She began playing with a piece of her hair and stared at me sheepishly, "You don't know how it could be effecting you."

I paused for thought. I didn't like it but she was right. I was in no condition to be throwing around my magic with a baby. I didn't know how it would affect either of us. "I guess you have a point."

Dimitri wrapped an arm around my waist and placed his hand over my stomach. It wasn't obvious to the others but I knew what he was signaling. I put my hand on his and ran my fingers over his. He put his lips to my ear, "Be careful." I slightly nodded. He slowly slid his hand off.

Christian was playing with a string of fire, making it weave through his fingers. He looked like he was really focusing on it. "What about Synette for a girl name?"

Liss' eyes shot up, "What made you think of that name?"

He shrugged and kept his eyes on the fire. "Not sure. I was going through your book of baby names and that one just stuck in my mind."

"That's not random at all." Mia sat down in the grass. "But I will admit that is a pretty name."

"You read the book?" Lissa's eyes glittered with adoration. "I can't believe you actually read the book."

He grinned, "You asked me to help you go through some names. I don't want you stressing over something like that so I figured why not." He snapped his hand closed around the fire and it fizzled out. "Still haven't settled on a boy name yet."

She smiled, "That's fine. We have plenty of time. I'm glad you found a name at all." She laughed softly.

I looked at Dimitri who seemed eased and relaxed behind us. His facial features were softened. It made me smile seeing him so happy. I reached back and touched his hand. He gently grabbed my fingers for just a moment.

Adrian pulled out his cigarettes and began lighting one up. Christian snatched it out of his hand and put it out. He handed it back to him and shook his head, "Pregnant women don't go well with smoke."

Adrian nodded, "I'm sorry. Must have slipped my mind." He turned to Liss, "Sorry."

She waved it off, "It's alright. No harm done."

He started turning towards me but quickly recalled our earlier conversation and made a complete 360 turn. "So what else do we have scheduled for our oh-so-exciting lives?"

I rose my hand but spoke before being acknowledged, "Food?"

Everyone else rose their hands and spoke in unison, "Food."

"Where do you want to eat?"

We somehow ended up in a cafe down the street from the spa. It smelled like what I thought Italy might smell. I ordered myself a couple slices of pepperoni pizza, cheese sticks with marinara sauce, and a large soda. Compared to me and Liss everyone else was eating like a bird. That wasn't unusual for me so I didn't have much to worry about.

"Are you anxious about tomorrow?" Liss had been waiting to ask about it. I could tell by the tone of her voice.

I shook my head, "Not really. I know we'll get it done quickly. Look at our team. There's already three awesome people here that are going."

Mia looked around, "Who else is going besides me and you?"

"I am. Hans added me on short notice." Dimitri took a bite out of his bread stick.

"Oh. Did he say why?"

"I asked him to." He looked so serious. I couldn't help but think of him in some kind of interogation. This is probably the face he'd be making.

Her face lost its humor as she simply returned to her plate. "Oh."

Adrian began drumming his fingers on the table. He was looking at me and then he caught my eye. He made a sour face, "May I get a drink?" He didn't say it out loud so nobody else heard him.

I smiled and took a drink of my soda, acting like I didn't get anything. He squinted at me and made a face that looked like he was waiting for an answer. He knew I had heard him. I guess it was due to the fact that I was obviously avoiding his eye contact.

"Rose." He spoke out loud this time. "May I?"

I sighed and gestured to the bar. "Be my guest." Just as he rose from his seat I grabbed his wrist, "But you cannot get plastered."

Mia laughed, "Are you seriously listening to what she tells you?"

"I made a promise and I am not the kind of man that goes back on my word." He bowed his head to me. "I will be on my way."

"Can we join you?" She looked around at us all, "Anyone want to join in? Come on."

I waved her off, "I'm not in the mood to drink."

She gave me a curious look, "Really? I thought you didn't mind the occasional drink."

"I don't. But I am just not currently in the mood."

Dimitri cleared his throat, "Why don't we all just go to have a good time?" It sounded more like a statement rather than a question. He looked down at me, "Drinking or not drinking we can still enjoy ourselves."

Liss stood slowly, "I would love to join you all but I believe I have a meeting to attend in just an hour. I have to go get ready." I would have thought the jeans and T-shirt were a fine outfit if not for the formalities of Court. Being queen meant acting and looking the part. I don't know how she handled wearing those dresses all the time. Even though they were pretty they still looked hot and heavy. Not in the good sense either.

I walked over and hugged her, "I will see you later then."

"It'll probably take a while. We're discussing Jill today." She started playing with her hair again.

"Jill?" I looked back at the group. "What about her? Isn't she safe here?"

She nodded, "She is but she has requested to be moved."

"Why?"

"That's why we are having the meeting. She's going to explain everything to myself and the council. We will decide what's best." She threw her hair over her shoulder and sighed. "We need to get the law changed fast or she could be in some real danger."

I sighed, "So I am guessing your mind is made up. She has to stay."

"She has to. But once the law is changed she can do as she pleases. I just... I just cannot risk it." She stood up straight and sighed. "I'll see you all later." She walked off so quickly nobody else had a chance to say a word.

Adrian scuffed, "Poor, jailbait."

"It's for her own safety." I sat down in Liss' chair.

"It could all be for Lissa's sake. If anything happened to Jill chaos would follow and Liss would lose the throne."

I kicked his shin, "I honestly don't think Liss is doing this based on selfish reason. She's worried that _because_ she's queen that someone will try to hurt Jill in order to get her off the throne" I jabbed his chest, "Would you like that on _your_ conscience?"

He held up his hands, "It was just a theory, little dhampir."

"A stupid one." I crossed my arms over my chest.

He chuckled, "How about that drink?"

I shook my head, "I'm going home." I looked at Dimitri and shrugged, "I'm just tired."

Dimitri nodded, "Okay. Let's go." He took my hand and started leading away.

Mia grabbed my other hand, "Wait! I thought we were all going to hang out." She pouted.

Christian draped an arm around Adrian and Mia's shoulders, "Come on guys. We could all just go for a drink and let the love birds go off for alone time." He winked.

"Thanks but I'm seriously just tired." I leaned against Dimitri's arm. "I think the magic wore me out."

He laughed, "And the food didn't rejuvenate you?"

I slugged his arm, "All that did was fill me up." I laughed softly.

Adrian nodded, "Alright then. Have a good rest and we will see you both before you depart tomorrow." He caught my eye and once again I could feel the attachment. "Be safe, little dhampir. Wouldn't want to lose you."

I smiled, "Thank you, Adrian."

Mia hugged me, "I will see you tomorrow then."

We started walking off towards our building. The ground seemed to run under our feet forever. I don't know if it was because I was thinking too much or if it really was a long walk. Then suddenly Ambrose appeared on the road walking straight towards us. He was most likely heading back to the spa. "Hey Rose."

"Ambrose. Haven't seen your face in a while."

He shrugged, "I'm always indoors helping my aunt and doing my job." He winked.

Dimitri frowned slightly, "You're job?"

"I'm a masseur. It's a living." He smiled big and revealed his pearly whites.

He nodded. "And how is Rhonda doing?"

He shrugged, "Making predictions, driving people mad. You know, same as before."

"Has she made any new ones?" I was slightly curious as to what she might say about me now.

"You can go ask her. She doesn't have her next appointment until tomorrow morning." He swept in the direction like we were going to follow.

I looked at Dimitri, "Can we?"

He looked anxiously between me and Ambrose, "Are you sure that's such a good idea?"

I paused, "I think we can trust her."

Ambrose looked lost, "Trust her with what? All she's going to do is give you a reading."

"Right." I nudged Dimitri. "It's just a reading."

He scuffed, "The last reading I got wasn't the best."

Ambrose forced a laugh, "She just calls them as she sees them. She doesn't cause it."

I pointed at Ambrose, "Very true." I grabbed Dimitri's hand and started walking up to him. "Lead the way."

The walk to Rhonda's felt long. This time I know it was due to all of Ambrose's talking. He kept going on and on about how well Lissa is handling things, how many customers have been coming in, congradulating Dimitri and I on our marriage, and how he still missed Tatiana. Finally we arrived. Ambrose knocked on the door.

"Come on!" Rhonda's voice sounded ominous.

Ambrose peaked his head in, "Aunt Rhonda. Rose and Dimitri were wondering if you had time to give a quick reading."

She let out a surprised laugh, "Oh! Come in, come in!"

I took in our surroundings. The decor had changed quite a bit since our last visit. I smiled and waved, "Hello. It's nice to see you again." I took a seat on a red plush chair. It looked like it was big enough to fit both Dimitri and myself.

She nodded, "And the same to both of you. It's nice to see you made it through your ordeals."

"That we have. I will not say it was easy." Dimitri sat down in the plushy red seat with me.

"No. I would guess it wasn't." Her smile dropped slightly. "So what would you like to know?" She weaved her fingers together and rested her chin on them.

I looked over at Dimitri and back to her, "Well first we wanted to be sure that we have your discretion."

She nodded, "Yes. I take everyone's readings seriously and do not tell others about someone else's readings." She scuffed, "That's just unprofessional."

Ambrose agreed, "Mm-hmm. Discretion is key in our lines of work."

I smirked at him, "I am sure of that."

He blushed slightly, "I have to get back to my own work. I trust you know the way out." He smiled big again, "It was nice seeing you two again. And under much better circumstances."

"Much better." I smiled back.

He bowed out as he exitted the room. "See you later. And good luck."

We both turned back to her. She was already shuffling her tarot cards. "Who goes first?"

Dimitri and I exchanged glances. I shrugged, "I will."

She handed me the deck, "Quick shuffle, cut it into three stacks and place them face down in front of me and join the stacks as you see fit."

Didn't sound too hard. I split the deck and shuffled them together. I tried to split it into three perfect stacks but once I placed them down I did notice the slight differences in height. Guess I wasn't too good at evening things out. I grinned thinking about it. I slid the stacks side by side and the cards joined into one large pile once again. "Okay. Now what?"

She smiled, "Patience." She began to lay the cards out. "This is called the Celtic Cross." She placed two cards in the center forming a cross, four cards surrounded them and finally four cards on the right side of the others. She stared down in thought. "Hmm. That's an interesting hand, isn't it?"

I looked down at them but aside from the artwork I didn't get what she meant. I touched one card that sat in the center that read 'The Lovers'. It had a man and a woman side by side with an angel looking down on them. "What do they mean?"

She grabbed the one I touched. "The Lovers? They are upright so that's a very good sign. It's union and harmony. It could also represent a test on commitment or even a difficult desicion to be made."

"About love?"

She shook her head, "Not necessarily."

I heard a slight sigh from Dimitri. I took his hand in mine and gently squeezed. He smiled and sat up. I looked back to Rhonda, "Well what do they stand for?"

She smiled and started tapping the cards one by one. "Let me start with the cross. The Lovers are the immediate challenge, the one below it was present, the ones surrounding it, on top is best outcome, the left is immediate future, bottom is recent past, and the right is distant past."

"And those?" I pointed to the column of cards on the right.

She brushed my hand back, "We'll get to those soon enough. Let's focus on these." She pointed at The High Priestess, "This is your present. She stands for influence of women, intuition, wisdom and secret knowledge." Her eyes shot to my face, "Do you know a secret? One of great importance?"

I couldn't look away, "Can we please complete the reading first? I'd like to see where this is going."

She clasped her hands together and focused back on the cards, "Oh, me too." She grabbed the top one, "The Chariot. Triumph over adversity, overcoming life's obstacles, decisiveness and ambition in achieving one's goals, well deserved victory. There's a period of struggle ending in worldly success. You gain self control, effort, and perseverance. Working within the boundaries of one's life to build up a successful existence." She nodded. "That is the best outcome."

"Thank god." I felt Dimitri's grip tighten around my hand.

Rhonda laughed, "I think we all hope for that as our best outcome!" She grabbed the one on the right, "Oh. You drew The Knight of Cups." She ran her fingers of the knight's face. "He's change and new excitements, particularly of a romantic nature. A person who is a bringer of ideas, opportunities and offers. He's constantly bored and in constant need of stimulation but yet artistic and refined." Adrian shot through my head. "Hmm. That's your distant past."

I nodded slowly, "Yes, he is." The image of his green eyes lingered in my mind just a moment longer before I snapped back.

She was already holding up the next card, "The nine of swords. Not so good."

"Why? What's that?"

"Your recent past." She laid it back in its place. "Deception, premonitions and bad dreams. You've gone through great suffering and depression, cruelty, disappointment, violence, loss and scandal. This is the card of the martyr and with it comes new life out of suffering."

Dimitri softened his hold on my hand, "That sounds horrible." He looked at me with great concern. "Roza?"

I felt frozen. Shocked even. I couldn't respond. The cards were reading me like a book. And the last two had really hit home. "Yea. Sounds like my life."

Rhonda tsked, "It is not all that bad. You gave up what you could not keep to gain what you cannot lose." The smile on her face was actually comforting. "Shall we go on?"

"Yes." I looked at Dimitri and smiled, "Just one more card, right?"

Rhonda inhaled sharply, "Death!" She covered the whole of the card with the palm of her hand. "It could be the beginning of a new life_. _As a result of underlying circumstances transformation and change." She raised the card so that I could look directly at it. "The end of a phase in life which has served its purpose. Abrupt and complete change of circumstances, way of life and patterns of behavior due to past events."

I took the card from her hand and held it just inches from my face, "Great. It just had to be Death in my future."

"Immediate future, my dear."

Dimitri took it from me. "The meaning doesn't _have_ to be an actual death?"

She shook her head, "No. Tarot reading is never quite so obvious. It's the meaning that comes from the cards that tells me what lies in the person's past, present, and future."

"I don't think I want to know anymore." I placed my head in my hands.

"Are you sure? You don't even know what they'll tell you?" She touched the four unread cards gently.

I sighed heavily, "What do they stand for?"

She went from bottom to top, "Factors affecting your situation, external influences, hopes and fears, and the final outcome."

I reached out to the final outcome. "Do I really want to know what's going to happen?"

She shrugged, "Some times it's for the best."

Dimitri grabbed my hand, "And it can help you stray from an unwanted outcome."

"It all depends on the paths we choose. Your future can always change." She smiled sweetly.

I sighed and slowly put the card down. "I would rather not know what my future holds." I stayed staring down at it. It was very beautiful. It had a giant sun in the back with a young child riding a white horse. In big bold print on the front of the card was written The Sun. I would just take it in good conscience that it was a good sign.

Rhonda grabbed the card and smiled. "Fear not, dear Rose. It is a bright one." She took my hand and placed the card in my palm. "I want you to carry it with you. As a reminder and just in case you ever want to look me up and ask what it means." She chuckled.

"Thank you, Rhonda." Dimitri and I stood up to leave.

She shot up from her seat, "Wait! Don't you want a reading as well?"

Dimitri shook his head. "The last time I got a reading I wasn't quite so pleased with the outcome."

She laughed out, "I promise you one card could not hurt."

I scuffed and murmered under my breath, "That's what I thought before I drew Death as my last card."

Dimtiri shot me a glance. He definitely heard me. I just smiled innocently. He walked back to her, "Just one?"

She smiled and handed him the deck. "Shuffle and split the cards and shuffle them together again."

He did so. He stayed looking down at the deck and then handed them to her reluctantly. "Now what do I do?"

She held out the deck to him, "Pick a card."

He reached in and pulled out one from the upper part of the deck. It read Judgement. The picture was an angel blowing a horn while looking down on a small group of people. He shrugged, "What does it mean?"

She took the card and inhaled deeply. "Hmm. Well it stands for changes and improvements. Satisfactory outcome to a specific matter or period of life. Joy in an accomplishment." She placed it face up on the deck. "It can be an awakening or rebirth. Renewed health, vitality and mental clarity. Sometimes indicates important decisions that will change the pattern of life for the better."

He laughed softly, "Thank you."

"That's all you have to say about that?" I tugged on his arm as he rose from his seat.

"What more is there to say? I have been given my fortune and I will go with it as best as I can." He gestured to the card, "It's obviously for the better." He bowed his head as he reached the door, "Thank you again."

She waved at us, "Good luck with everything."

We walked out and it was so bright. I was positive now that it was passed bed time. We made it to our building in complete silence and managed to keep from being stopped by anyone. Once we stepped into the room I decided one of us had to break the silence.

"So what do you think the reading means? Is that a good sign?" I laid back on the bad and spread out.

He sat beside me and laid his head on my stomach, "If we are both ending up with a successful future then I would guess it is." I could feel him running his fingers on my skin.

I sighed, "How can you be so calm after everything?"

"What Rhonda said doesn't change a thing. We were heading down these paths either way. Readings aren't always 100% accurate." He turned his face so that we were looking at each other.

I thought back on the cards. They seemed pretty accurate to me. I had been getting flashbacks since we left Rhonda's. I ran my hand through his hair. "I guess you're right."

He pulled himself up to where he was looking straight down at me. "You _guess_ I'm right?"

"Kind of." I tried to pull him down to kiss me but he resisted.

He smirked, "You know I'm right." He slowly lowered his lips to mine but didn't immediately kiss me. He ran his lips against mine softly. "Right?"

I giggled, "Whatever you say, comrade."

He laughed and it rumbled through his chest. He smile slowly disappeared and he stared back at me in all seriousness. He caressed my face and stared down at me so intensely. "It's feels nice being reassured that everything's going to be okay."

"I always tell you it is." I twisted my fingers into his hair.

I felt him wrapped an arm around me and pulled. My back arched and our stomachs were touching. "But coming from someone like my grandmother and Rhonda is more of a guarantee. Your word only goes so far. You're not exactly the most careful person."

I tugged on his hair, "That's not entirely true."

He tugged back on mine, "Prove me wrong." Without another word more he pulled me to him and the kiss was passionate and warm. I felt instant tingles in my chest but I didn't want to pull away. I just went with it. The magic began to flow through my body in smooth waves. Almost like a pulse. Then there it was. That ditzy feeling that made me into a totally love sick high school teenager.

I started trying to tangle up close to his body. He must have noticed because he pulled back a little. The more I got excited the more it seemed like he was trying to calm me down. But I couldn't help it. I wanted him then and there. My body was yerning for his every touch. I rolled him over to his back and I straddled him. I pulled my shirt off over my head and pulled him upright.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and brought his face to my chest. I felt his lips graze my skin and heard him breathe in deeply. I pulled his shirt of and ran my fingers over his chest. The scar looked thick on his flesh. Like it was a misplaced mark on marble stone. I traced the outline of it and smiled.

He grabbed my hand, "That's one."

"I think that's the one that counts the most." I grinned from ear to ear. I still felt so jittery.

He ran his fingers over the scar on my side, "You got one to match."

I shrugged, "Mine wasn't life threatening."

He pulled me back to him for a kiss. Between kisses he murmered, "You are life threatening."

It made me burst out in giggles. For some reason that rhetoric remark was funny to me. I kept trying to remember it was all due to the magic. And it wouldn't go away until we had connected... physically. I began to wrap my body against his and in a matter of minutes I had us both stripped down to nothing.

All that ensued was pure pleasure. His hands explored my body. I don't think there was an inch of flesh that he didn't touch. Moans escaped from my lips and I felt my body releasing the magic little by little. With every climax I felt the excitement die down slowly. Only passion and lust remained.

I pulled the blank up to my chest and tangled myself against him. "We should try that more often."

He laughed, "I knew you were acting a little funny."

"Funny? How?" I rested my head on his chest.

"For one, you laughed at me calling you life threatening." He began running his fingers through my hair.

I laughed, "Yea. I remember that." I started tracing his abs. "Sorry. It just came out of nowhere."

He abruptly stopped, "It summoned itself and took hold without you doing it?"

"Not exactly." I forced a laugh, "I knew it was summoned but I didn't really do anything to stop it from manifesting and flowing."

He sighed and started running his fingers through my hair again. "Then it didn't come out of nowhere, Roza." He said it with a chuckle. He kissed my shoulder and I felt him sink and relax into the bed.

I yawned and stretched my body out against him. "Now I am _really _exhausted."

"You do that to me as well." I wrapped his other arm around me and snuggled against me. "Are you comfortable?"

I nuzzled my face into his chest and breathed him in. He always smelled so good. "Mmm. Mm-hmm."

"Good night, Roza." He kissed the top of my head. "I love you."

"I love you, Dimitri."

He ran his hand over my stomach, "Cпокойной ночи, малыш."

My dreams were dark and silent. It felt like I had been sitting in the emptiness for eternity when a light began to seep into my view. Scenery shot past me in blurs and paused in the perfect little dream world Adrian had created. I started walking around and finally spotted him. He was sitting by the waterfall with his feet soaking. He looked over at me and smiled.

"Never been this close to the water." I reached out and dripped the tips of my fingers in the cool water.

He shrugged, "I like sitting amongst the trees but I couldn't resist it. The water looks nice, huh?"

I nodded, "Feels wonderful."

"Want to go for a swim?" He smirked.

I made a face at him, "Funny. I'm not stipping down to go swimming."

"Why not? You're already dressed for it."

I looked down and found myself wearing a bikini. It was red with orange trim. I had to admit it was pretty but I was not expecting it at all. "Adrian! Please put me in some real clothes."

When I looked back up at him he was in just swim trunks. He was standing on a large rock, "Come on, little dhampir. Don't be a party pooper. Join me."

He reached out to me. I stood there thinking about it for a while and finally decided. I took his hand and climbed up behind him. "This better not be for some perverse reason."

"I really want to show you something. But we have to be in the water first." He took a step closer to the edge.

I nodded, "Fine. I'm right behind you."

"On the count of three. One, two..." And I pushed him in. I was nice enough to jump in only a second after. I guess you could say that I did jump on three.

I came up but he didn't. Even though the water was so clear I couldn't see him. So I dove down. It felt like a bottomless pool of water. But I still couldn't see him. I was losing air and I couldn't hold on much longer. _Where the hell did he go?_ I started back to the surface and right when I broke through the water he was there. Sitting in the grass with a grin on his face.

"Did you have fun down there?" He laughed.

I splashed some water at him, "Where the hell were you? How'd you do that?"

He shrugged, "That's what I was trying to tell you." He jumped back into the water and took my hand, "Hold your breath." He pulled me down with him. We stopped just a few feet from the top. He looked at me and I felt the spirit connect. "Now I want you to start swimming against the waterfall." I almost spoke but instead I released some air bubbles. "Finally, you cannot argue." I growled but I doubt he even herad it. "Now do as I say and swim against the waterfall."

I took one glance towards the waterfall and all I could see was the water impacting the surface causing bubbles. But I did it. Dispite the little voice in my head telling me that Adrian was crazy, I did it. And I cut through the water smoothly. On the other side of the waterfall was a cave hidden by the water and hanging plants that clung to the rocks.

I stared in awe as I climbed out of the pool. The water was glistening off the smooth stone. I ran my hand on the surface. It was cool and sleek. Adrian climbed out of the water and chuckled.

"So, what do you think?" He ran his hand on the wall. "Isn't this amazing?"

"It's gorgeous. When'd you make this?" I sat down and put my feet in the water.

He forced a laugh, "I didn't. I was swimming, slightly intoxicated, and stumbled upon it."

I was so confused, "So you found a hidden cave in a world that you created that you knew nothing about?"

He shrugged, "That about sums it up."

"How?"

"Aren't you just curious today?" He sat down beside me. "I figure my creation is adding on to itself. I made something alive so it's only natural that it would grow."

"The card was right. You're a bringer of ideas. Artist and refined." I laughed to myself.

He looked puzzled, "What?"

I shook my head, "I, um, had a reading done earlier today."

"Oh, you saw Rhonda." He grinned, "And how did I pop up in the cards?"

I looked down at my hands, "You're the Knight of Cups."

He laughed, "What?"

"She described him to me and the first person that came to my mind was, well, you." I shivered. The cool air on my wet skin wasn't mixing well. "Can we get to somewhere warmer to finish this discussion?"

He nodded, "Let's go back to the cherry trees." He put out his hand and helped me up. He escorted me out from behind some vines and into the warm air. He stopped and looked me over, "Now about this attire." He touched the strap of my top and it stretched into a red T-shirt. Blue jean short covered my bottom half and I felt my feet get engulfed by the tennis shoes that appeared on them. "Better?"

"Thank you."

"Now about this Knight of Cups. What exactly did she say that made you think of me?" His grin was seductive. Like he was flirting.

I slugged his arm, "Please don't hit on me."

"Can I help it if I have natural charm?" He nudged me with his shoulder.

I rolled my eyes, "You mean you're a natural flirt."

He laughed, "Okay. I promise to keep my hands to myself and be a gentleman." He gestured for me to go on.

"Alright. She said he was a bringer of ideas. A change of a romantic nature. He's constantly bored and in constant need of stimulation. And that he's artistic and refined." I sat down in the grass. "It's a card of my distant past."

He sat beside me. "I see. So naturally I came to mind."

"Naturally."

"What did she have to say about your future?" He tilted his head back to look at the sky.

For some strange reason I reached into my pocket. I felt it there. Right at my finger tips. The final card. I pulled it out and sure enough it had the picture of the glorious sun with the young child on a white horse. "The Sun."

By Shadow Kissed Mori


	27. Info About Continuing the Story

This is just to inform my readers that there is a Part3 to my series that I have been working on. Just go to my profile and continue on with the story titled, "After Vampire Academy: Last Sacrifice Part 3". Some of you already did so this is mainly for the readers that are left hanging on yet another one of my cliff hangers. I hope you continue to enjoy my work and please leave any reviews so long as they are of a mature standing and not disrespectful to either the original author of the VA series (Richelle Mead), myself or other readers.

Thank you very much for your support!


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